Play of Emotions
by LordOfTheMarshland
Summary: AU. That accursed forced date turned out to have far-reaching consequences more than Yuichi had thought.
1. Reluctance

**Disclaimer: ** "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, this does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". What I am really doing here is developing the idea as described in Kasumi-san's author's note into a full-fledged story. I have been intrigued by her idea for a while and would really like to try working on it (As you may already have guessed, I voted for the "Empty White Canvas", so this is also a way for me to sooth my impatience). In other word, the details and the unfolding of events in this story are my own evil working, so come back to me if you have any problem with them. Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

This is also the first time I work with a long-term project i.e. first time trying to overcome my short-attention span problem. The starting and ending points are fixed. The road between them, however, is mine to pick :D. Needless to say, feedbacks are welcome!

-Reluctance-

"I'll say this again and again. I WON'T GO ON THAT DAMNED DATE!"

It was uncharacteristic of Kazuki Yuichi to raise his voice, especially when the person opposite him is his father. However, this time he felt his neurons would snap if he had not release the irritation one way or another. He was a model son indeed, but even he had wishes that he wanted his parents to respect. And the freedom to choose the partner and occasion for his dates was among such wishes.

"I'll also say this again and again. You should go out once in a while. Studying hard is good, but your social life is pretty much nothing!"

Disregarding his son's outburst, Mr. Kazuki calmly reasoned with the boy. Yuichi was very mature and responsible for someone at that insecure age of eighteen, so normally he would let the boy have his way. But lately, he felt increasingly uneasy with the colourlessness in the boy's lifestyle. Surely, Yuichi was a brilliant scholar, a dutiful son, and a respectable young gentleman befitting a respectable family, in other word, an apparently perfect human being. But behind that façade, the boy had no extracurricular activity or even interest despite occasionally helping out some clubs, and more alarmingly, no real close friend despite being the most popular student at school. It was as if the boy intentionally detached himself from society in the most subtle way. As a responsible father, he resolved to break that worrysome trend.

"I appreciate your concern. But Dad, it makes no sense to go out with a girl I don't even know! It's awkward! And she will hate that herself!"

"Aren't you famous for being a gentleman? And you will know _no_ girl if I leave it to yourself."

Yuichi could not suppress a scowl at such a ridiculous logic. Moreover, his reasonable and liberal father was the last person he expected to hear this from.

"I don't know you are that desperate to marry me off!" He remarked sarcastically.

"Look, it's not as if I'm forcing you into an arranged marriage. All you have to do is going out with a girl and enjoy yourself! I don't ask from you any more than that!"

The middle-aged man looked straight into his son's grey eyes, which were mirror image of those of his own. A forced date was indeed an inelegant method to improve Yuichi's social life. But he felt the odds the boy came out of the shell on his own was not high. Plus when being pushed, Yuichi would be more likely to behave himself in the presence of the opposite sex (yes, even the model son had his moments). Hence, true to the Kazuki's blood, he took the matter in his own hands. Preying on Yuichi's sense of responsibility, he added with a sign:

"And I have troubled Fujii-san and his family so much for this. Do you think it was easy to ask them this kind of favour?"

_It is your own fault_, Yuichi frustratedly thought. However, he was well aware that his father was unusually serious about this stupid date. Who knew what the old man would come up with next if he did not comply this time. Lowering his head for one second, he defiantly gazed back at his father.

"Fine, I'll go on this date with this girl you chose. But there will be no second time no matter what you say! That is my condition!"

"Just one time is fine. I'm sure it will be fun. There is more to meeting people than you thought."

"Heaven forbids!". Yuichi could not help but shiver a bit at his father's words. What could be good about seeing someone under complete coercion when resentment bubbled in your mind?

Time flew by and the much hated day came. Yuichi skipped breakfast and shut himself in his room. Words could not describe how much he hated himself for consenting to his father's ludicrous arrangement in that moment of weakness. The tempting idea of pretending sick kept coming back to his mind. He almost yielded to it. But another part of his ego resisted such a cheap way of escaping the challenge. His blood rose when he imagined the story of his running away from a date he himself accepted like a cold-feet bride before the wedding circulating in his family circle. _It may even become a family legend_, Yuichi sarcastically thought. Too much emotions and an empty stomach began to make him feel sick for real. But before he could further examine his bodily condition (and maybe took advantage of it), there was a knock at his room's door. The face of his brother Shohei appeared from the other side of the threshold.

"Your bride has arrived. Aren't you going to greet her, Yuichi?" The man smirked.

Oh great, now he even had his brother's teasings to chew on. "Shut up!" The boy fiercely snapped, but his brother remained unfazed.

"Yuichi, where are you? Fujii-san's daughter is already here! Don't tell me you're quiting now of all time." Mr. Kazuki's voice added to the chorus.

"Fine, fine, I'm coming." Yuichi grudgingly picked himself up and left for the living room with his father and brother.

"The ladies sure are getting along with each other." Shohei casually remarked at the scene in front of them and Yuichi had a good view of the girl he was going out with. She was dressed in simple pale blue dress with same-coloured choker on her slender neck and bandeau in her shoulder-length hair. She really was cute, but very ordinary. Yuichi scoffed a bit inside. Because his father made him go through all this trouble, he was expecting something special from his date.

The girl was sitting opposite his mother and sister-in-law with his little niece Takako on her knee. The phrase "getting along" definitely did not apply to her for she looked more like a prisoner being interrogated despite the two older ladies' friendly attitude. Normally, he would perhaps pity her, but in this situation, he just hoped that she would ask to cancel the date.

At his grand entrance, the ladies looked up. Takako happily ran to her uncle.

"Uncle Yuichi, are you and nee-chan getting married?" She asked innocently.

Yuichi was dumbfounded, the girl flushed to the deepest red, and the adults broke out laughing.

"No, no, not yet, Takako. Not when they don't even know each other's names." Mr. Kazuki joked. "Yuichi, this is Fujii Karin-san. Karin-san, this is my son Yuichi. I hope you two will get along."

Still shocked from his niece's question, Yuichi honestly had no intention of "getting along" with her, who was looking down at the carpet. But Yuichi was Yuichi, a gentleman born and bred. Reminding himself of the role he was playing, he offered her his hand with the best smile he could manage.

"Nice to meet you, Karin-san."

"Nice to meet you, Kazuki-san." The girl returned the gesture and slowly shifted her eyes to him for the first time. Yuichi's gaze unknowingly softened, for the large dark eyes he was peering into were so pretty yet vulnerable. Though she was trying to maintain her composure, a look into her eyes was enough to tell that she was uncomfortable and really, really afraid. Yuichi did not just act nice. He was nice by nature, so even in his current bad mood, something in him was touched. _Well, I'll be gentle to her. She was probably forced into this like me, _he thought.

"Well, I think we had better go now." He cleared his voice, anxious to get out of his family's eyes. Shohei chuckled, but a look from the eldest Kazuki effectively silenced the man.

"Y-Yes." The girl stuttered, looking down again.

"OK, you two should go then. Have fun!" Yuichi's father winked at him and and he frowned. Shohei's shoulders were shaking: the man was obviously stiffening a laugh. He made a mental note to come back to his brother some time soon.

"We are going. Have a nice day everyone." Gaining back his usual confident manners, Yuichi properly said good bye to his family. The girl beside him said not a word but bowed instead.

That day was going to be a long day for both of them.


	2. Surprise

**Disclaimer: **"Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". What I am really doing here is developing the idea as described in Kasumi-san's author's note into a full-fledged story. I have been intrigued by her idea for a while and would really like to try working on it (As you may already have guessed, I voted for the "Empty White Canvas", so this is also a way for me to sooth my impatience). In other word, the details and the unfolding of events in this story are my own evil working, so come back to me if you have any problem with them. Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

Thanks to all those who read and reviewed. I'm glad you find this story worth reading. For this chapter, writing about people falling in love when one has not experienced it oneself is hard. I hope I managed it. On a more chatty note, bullying Kazuki is fun (please don't kill me).

-Surprise-

The sun was shining brilliantly on the clear blue sky. A soft breeze was blowing in the air filled with the chattering of birds and the buzzing of honey bees. In other words, a beautiful summer day. However, the atmosphere between Yuichi and the girl resembled a foggy mid-winter evening. They had not exchanged a word or even looked at each other for that matter. Once the two left the house, he had been preoccupied with getting as far as possible from the observation range of his family and she simply followed him obediently without a question. It completely slipped his mind that he had no plan for this date. When they were far enough, he was at a loss of breath and direction. To break the awkward silence and also to get some idea for this reluctant day out, Yuichi asked:

"Karin-san, where would you like to go today?"

The girl moved uneasily. "Uhm, Kazuki-san, could you call me by my family name?" She hesitatingly said, avoiding to look at him. Her voice was small but clear and straightforward enough to convey what she wanted.

"Oh, that is fine by me." Though he sounded perfectly calm and casual, the request did catch him off-guard a bit.

Yuichi was by no means a narcissist, but he knew well his own worth and how people think about him. Usually, no matter how shy she was, a girl would be thrilled to be called by her given name by him. And people in their situation, regardless of gender, generally would not so bluntly keep the distance. If he insisted on being skeptical, he would say that this girl was playing hard to get. Nevertheless, given her dead serious tone, it was safe to bet that she meant what she said. Part of Yuichi was relieved that the girl had to intention of being overly-familiar with him. After all, he had no intention of going beyond common etiquette required of him in this accursed date. The other part, where his vanity resided, was annoyed a little. She was not being impolite to him, but she was obviously uncooperative with his efforts to create a comfortable atmosphere. If she was so unwilling to be with him, then she should not have come in the first place! But the remembrance of the afraid expression in those dark eyes earlier softened his thoughts. Perhaps she was coerced into this date like him. When he himself surrendered, he was in no position to judge her. Perhaps it would get better as time went. Satisfying himself with this explanation, he returned to the pressing matter of where to go for the date.

"Well then, Fujii-san, where would you like to go?"

The girl did not answer immediately. Just when Yuichi thought she had become mute, he heard her hesitant voice.

"Central Park, if you don't mind"

"Central Park? OK!" He smiled amicably. There was some improvement, though small, at last.

They walked side-by-side like a couple, but from Yuichi's point of view, there was no way people could mistake them for lovers. The girl looked straight into the road in front of her and quenched his attempts to strike up a conversation with concise answers of yes or no as if she had absolutely no interest in talking with him. He was starting to get annoyed again. Was it not the norm to reciprocate another person's goodwill? If she insisted on being unfriendly then she would get unfriendliness back! But Yuichi did not get to put this thought into practice because the girl suddenly stopped.  
_What's wrong_, he asked her with his eyes. She laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry, Kazuki-san!"

"Sorry? For what?" The unexpected word confused Yuichi. At that moment he honestly did not know what to do with this girl.

"Well, I'm not used to going out _this_ way," the volume of her voice was so small that he barely heard her and she blushed a little, but her eyes gazed straight into Kazuki's. "so I'm acting weird and making you upset. Sorry."

Yuichi unknowingly smiled. The way she apologized to him was so interesting. She was very bashful, yet those dark eyes met his squarely, refusing to look away. _She has a stubborn side to her_, he inwardly remarked. And it would be lying if he said he did not appreciate her concern for his mood, though it was a bit unflattering that he was so easily giving his thoughts away. Whatever. That was an interesting improvement. The girl was sweeter than she appeared so far. Feeling like the sun finally appeared after long grey cloudy days, he replied generously, this time totally willing to be the gentleman.

"Don't worry, Fujii-san! It's natural that you feel awkward going out with someone you don't know. I too feel the same."

The girl smiled with relief but a bit ruefully at his response. "But you're still being so nice to me. I feel bad!". She said, with a touch of delightful stubbornness.

"Don't mind me! I'm totally at your disposal today." He joked and seeing that he was going in the right direction when she responded with a reserved smile, he added "Why don't we talk about something more agreeable? For example, what do you plan to do at Central Park today?" That question should not make her uncomfortable.

The girl hesitated for a second, but then answered truthfully. "You know, there is a flower exhibition there and I want to see it. There may be something I can use for my art assignment." Then came a nervous laugh. "It seems that I'm taking advantage of you..."

Determined to be the perfect escort more than ever, Yuichi dismissed her uneasiness with the wonderfully amiable manner even by his standard "Fujii-san, I did say I'm at your disposal today, didn't I? So you have an art assignment. Are you in the art club at school? That should be fun." Well, he had not been permanent member of any club ever so he was not the one to talk. But that was always a safe line.

"Yes. And I want to go to art college. So I want to work on my assignments properly!"

In that way, the ice between the two of them thawed bit by bit. By the time they reached the gate of Central Park, they were already talking like they had known each other all their lives. Yuichi knew he was good at making people comfortable but today he himself was enjoying the conversation, something not usually happened. Fujii was rather shy. That was for sure. But she was sociable enough, and thank goodness, she did not wrongly interpret his friendliness and fawned all over him like his fangirls at school. More importantly, everything about her spoke of sincerity and her talk was not uninteresting. Yuichi felt like he could relax and be himself around her. The cold line usually underlying his friendliness seemed to vanish.

It was a summer weekend and the exhibition was popular, so Yuichi and Fujii had to fight through a big crowd. Nevertheless, they still had a fun time. They discussed types of flowers they had not seen before and every time something caught her attention, she would quickly make some sketches in her black notebook, which seemed to be her inseparable item. When she was busy with her drawing, he found himself attentively watching her. She was pretty and the way she wholeheartedly focused on her work lent to her charm, not to mention how her beautiful dark eyes sparkled delightedly and the little dreamy smile on her rose-bud lips at each new discovery. Had it not been for the fact that he was forced to go out with her (which was not her fault), he would have already been in some real danger.

Having too much to see and think, he forgot that he had not eaten anything that day. When they walked from a shade to the sunlight, his head felt a little light.

"Are you OK, Kazuki-san? I'm so sorry. I forget the time because of my assignment."

Ashamed for such a show of weakness which he normally would rather die than reveal to other people, Yuichi replied quickly. "It's nothing! Let's continue!"

"Shall we take a rest? It should be lunchtime now. I feel hungry!" She suggested a bit too enthusiastically to his liking.

Annoyed at himself for making her worry when he already decided to be the gentleman that day, he responded a bit sullenly. "No one would have thought that seeing how you are so absorbed, Fujii-san." Realizing that such a statement was prone to misunderstanding, he hastily added "Let's grab something to eat. I'm hungry too." She quietly nodded.

They settled for a fastfood restaurant nearby. Silence naturally reigned when they occupied themselves with food, but when his energy finally recharged, Yuichi felt like chatting again.

"So Fujii-san, which flower is your favourite?"

She slightly tilted her head to a side and knitted her brow a bit in an adorable way. "Well, I think that..."

The glass in front of him was suddenly knocked down, followed by a "I'm sorry!". For such a crowded place, it was no surprise. Yuichi politely assured the girl who knocked down his glass.

"It's alright! We've finished anyway!"

The girl blushed. A loud voice, doubtlessly belonged to a guy, rudely broke in. "STOP FLIRTING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND! GET LOST!"

Well, shit happens. One bumps into such jerk once in a while. He was just displeased by the fact that this stupid confrontation broke out when his date seemed to go smoothly again. But before he could react, Fujii suddenly stood up and fiercely said.

"If someone should get lost, then it's _you_!"

Yuichi blinked for a second. Never judge a book by its cover indeed because for such a bashful girl, that fiery reaction was totally unexpected. And she was cute even in her anger. Her normally cheerful but shy eyes flared up wilfully and her sweet lips pouted a little. A brave little kitten. But the fact that they were the centre of attention in the restaurant reminded him it was no time for that kind of thought. He loudly cleared his voice to remind the belligerents that he was still there.

"Let's go, Fujii-san" He did not bother to spare a glance to the overly jealous boyfriend. She complied, but not before sending the jerk a final angry glare. There was nothing laughable about the whole situation, but Yuichi found his date's reactions so interesting. When they were outside, he could not contain his laugh any longer.

"It's not funny!" Fujii frowningly retorted.

"I'm sorry! I don't mean to laugh at you." He answered when his laughter died down. Much as he wanted to tease her further to enjoy her cute sullen face, he still remembered his manners. "You did not have to be so angry, Fujii-san. But thank you!"

"Thank you? For what?" She puzzledly asked back. The innocent look on her face was priceless. If it had not been rude, he would have pulled out his cellphone and taken a shot and he would not mind setting that picture as his wallpaper for a long while.

"For being angry for my sake." He explained sincerely, then with a touch of childishness, added. "though I don't know how to be a damsel in distress."

Fujii solemnly countered "Please don't say that! It's just normal for friends to stand up for each other, don't you think so?"

Somehow he was displeased. Perhaps the idea of being protected instead of protecting annoyed him. But if he were more honest to himself, it was more like at a corner of his mind he was hoping she would use a word other than "friend" to describe him. Shaking his head of those ridiculous thoughts and determined to win back the harmonious atmosphere between them, he said with the charm that won him the title "Prince" at school.

"Well, forget jerks and the like! Shall we return to the exhibition? I'm sure there is much to see in the camelia section."

"You're right!" She smiled sweetly. His heart skipped a beat, though he himself did not necessarily realize that.

After finishing a full round of the exhibition, both of them were dead tired but satisfied. They casually walked around in a quiet corner of the park, chatting about a thousand trivial things. The date was coming to a close. It was a success in all respects, but Yuichi felt that he was forgetting something. Before he could decide what it was, Fujii suddenly ran a few step ahead and stooped down to pick up something. When he caught up with her, he saw a sparrow chick wrapped in a handkerchief in her small hands. It must have fallen from the nest, which was not difficult to spot.

"I will put it back." She said decisively, walking towards the tree, clearly with the intention of climbing it.

Did he get it wrong? She wanted to climb the tree, with that dress? The intention was noble, but he inwardly blushed at the indecent images coming up in his own imagination. Besides, he could not let her do such a dangerous thing.

"Let me!" he stopped her. She looked at him questioningly then suddenly blushed. Obviously she realized the situation. Without further protest, she carefully entrusted the little bird to him.

He had not climbed a tree since his childhood, but the exercise was piece of cake to him. He skilfully put the little sparrow back to the nest, and thrust the handkerchief into his pocket. The only thing that dampened his glorious performance was a small branch of tree that scratch his hands on the way down.

"Thank you!" she greeted him back with a radiant smile, and he felt like a hero returning home after accomplishing a deed that rivalled Hercules' twelve miraculous labours. He looked into those captivating dark eyes, and realized what had been missing: they had not agreed to meet again.

"Uhm, Fujii-san..."

"Kazuki-san, you are hurt!" She noticed the scratch, but he did not give it a damn.

"It's nothing. Please listen to me..."

"No, even if it's small, it has to be taken care of." She eyed the wound critically, apparently not heeding to his words.

"Fujii-san!"

Yuichi caught her slender wrist. It was not like him to be so impatient, but he was overwhelmed by the sudden fear that she would somehow disappeared forever like a fairy. He could have asked her for some kind of contact, but that did not even cross his brain in that state of mind.

"Wh-what's wrong?" She stuttered, her eyes widened in surprise, and perhaps fear. In that state, she was even more appealing. Totally overcome by his feelings and the temptation, Yuichi leaned forward and claimed her sweet pink lips. The wrist he was holding went rigid for a split second, but the next moment, the short, dry sound of a slap was heard. He caught a glimpse of anger and confusion in large dark eyes, before she vanished from his sight as if carried away by the wind.

Yuichi did not know how long he stood there like a statue. When the cool wind of the evening woke him from his reverie, he bitterly cursed himself for the stupid mistake that he might regret for his whole lifetime. However, the desire to see her again surged in his veins stronger than ever. The cellphone in his pocket rang, but he was in no mood to answer. As he put his hand into his pocket to turn the phone off, he found something that was not his. It was Fujii's handkerchief. He looked desperately at the piece of cloth, as if it contained the answer to his problem. When he noticed the initials in Latin letters embroidered at one corner of the handkerchief and nearly brought it to his lips, what he saw baffled him. The two characters there were "F.W."

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	3. Interlude

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". What I am really doing here is developing the idea as described in Kasumi-san's author's note into a full-fledged story. I have been intrigued by her idea for a while and would really like to try working on it. In other word, the details and the unfolding of events in this story are my own evil working, so come back to me if you have any problem with them. Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

This chapter is rather an extra. It was originally intended as a bullet-point guidance to portray Wataru's behaviours to Kazuki more convincingly, but I decided to elaborate on it. It's also a kind of "thank you" to Kasumi-san, who devised the basic plotline I'm working on, and who wanted to see Wataru's reaction to the kiss.

I must admit for this story at least, Kazuki is easier to handle.

*******

--Interlude--

Fujii Wataru ran and ran desperately. The shoes he was unused to began to hurt his feet, but he did not stop. The choker tightened on his throat, preventing him to breathe freely, but he did not care. He did not even look at where he was going. Now and then he bumped into someone and got yelled at, but he would just stand up and resume his flight. He simply had to run. Something beyond his understanding had happened, and if he stopped, he would have been swallowed by confusion, panic, and other feelings that he could not name.

When Wataru could run no more, he was at a familiar playing yard close to his house. It seemed that he unconsciously headed for home in his fit of panic. Still unable to think coherently, he walked instinctively to the small fountain in the middle of the yard for some water. When he looked at the reflection, it was not himself but a girl in dress and bandeau staring back at him. Wataru bitterly smiled. What kind of comedy was he in?

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He was forced to cross-dress to go on a date with a _guy, _and he was kissed, forcefully, by the said guy. It was meaningless to him that it was _the_ Kazuki Yuichi, his school's prince, and that a lot of girls would kill to be in his place. Force was force, and a person believing in free will like Wataru could not accept that.

He laughed derisively. Perhaps it was his payment for deceiving Kazuki in the first place. He felt right from the beginning that it was simply _wrong_, but let himself be led into the act anyway in exchange for the cheap price of some quietness in his own house to focus on an important assignment. The fault lied first and foremost in himself.

He could not go home right at that moment, because the art of commanding facial expressions was and would never be his, and he would rather die than reveal to anyone what had happened. And he needed to be alone. He distractedly searched for his handkerchief in the pocket to clean his face but found none. That's right! Kazuki was still keeping it. The memory of the date flashed back. Wataru felt like crying. Everything was going so well! He had expected a horrendous day, but it turned out to be enjoyable. Kazuki was the nicest person he had ever met, that was, until the kiss.

Why did that guy do so? Wataru asked himself again and again, but found no satisfactory answer. Perhaps it was just a joke. The other possibility, which Wataru dismissed immediately, was that he had somehow struck the guy's fancy. It was supposed to be creepy, but he was surprisingly calm about it. The reason he rejected it was different, but he would never look straight into that for a strange dull pain it brought.

It was a good thing that it was summer! He would not see Kazuki again in two months, and the guy would perhaps forget the whole date by then. As for himself, the memory would probably never leave, but he would get used to it. With time.

Deciding that he was finally able to face his family, Wataru stood up and left for the comfort of his house. He would take a bath, go to bed early, and tomorrow, he would be too absorbed in his art assignment to care about anything else.

Yes, everything would be alright.


	4. Longing

**Disclaimer: ** "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". What I am really doing here is developing the idea as described in Kasumi-san's author's note into a full-fledged story. I have been intrigued by her idea for a while and would really like to try working on it. In other word, the details and the unfolding of events in this story are my own evil working, so come back to me if you have any problem with them. Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

I'm so happy with the positive review I got so far. To be honest, I was a bit on crack with the last chapter. I was playing with the idea of the kiss and decided to go for it to spice things up a little. (I'm still high right now, not because of drug but midterms. Sometimes I have to wonder whether studying psychology creates psychos *bad puns are bad*)

This chapter is more of a build-up one. I need something to relax me from my stress, hence the more than normal update speed.

**********

--Longing--

It was probably the tenth time Yuichi made a head-desk that day. Lectures at prep school were never known to be inspiring: such was the fate of all young souls who aspired to a place in that holy institution of knowledge known as the university. However, neither tedious lessons nor tricky homework could wreck his head that much. The real cause was a pixie with pretty dark eyes, which could challenge as well as pledge, and set hearts to flame in the process. Since that unforgettable day, his customary composed and confident self had been broken, giving way to a lovesick sentimental. During the week, in every second of his waking time, he was flooded with images of the day they spent together: the little conversations by the flowers, the kiss, and above all, her lovely smile that were as sincere and innocent as can be. He longed to see her again, to apologize for forcing himself to her, and most importantly, to confess his feelings. But tough luck for him, he had no clue how to reach her. It was a complete deadlock, something he had not experienced in the eighteen years of his life.

The quickest, and in fact the only solution he could think of was naturally to ask his father, the puppet master of this little drama, for the contact of the Fujiis. But his ego did not allow such a course of action, for it would mean admitting defeat to the old man. The memory of his father's manipulating him into the date was still fresh in his mind, and he opposed that kind of interference as vehemently as before as a matter of principle. Furthermore, he never liked the idea of showing his weakness to and seeking help from others, even when it was his own father. It was already humiliating enough coming home in depression with his cheek still warm from her slap. He had not breathed a word about what befell him, his parents so far had not alluded to that either.

Yuichi's hand searched for the handkerchief in his pocket, the glass shoe of his Cinderella. He closed his eyes and recalled the gentle expression with which she was giving it to him (together with the sparrow chick). He had been carrying her handkerchief with him as a charm with the superstition that it would lead him to its owner. Once or twice he did vaguely wonder why the initials were "F.W." while he clearly remembered, despite having called her by family name the whole time, that her first name was "Karin", but he did not give it any concern. The priority right now was to find her. Hundreds of times at least, in his imagination, he had pictured himself returning the handkerchief and confessing his feelings with all the charms he was blessed with. And in those happy visions, she would blush and fluster, perhaps be angry with him a little about his behaviour the other day, but gradually would graciously accept him.

Absorbed in his daydream, Yuichi did not notice that his classmate and president of his school's Student Council, Ninomiya Akira, was approaching him, so he was rudely brought from his rosy fantasy back to the grey reality.

"Yo, Kazuki! You'll get mauled by your fans some day if you let your guards down like that."

Yuichi quickly gathered himself together, and returned the courtesy with due decorum.

"Thanks for the concern. But don't you think you should take care of yourself first, Mr. President? Who was mobed by all the clubs for budget raise the other day?"

Ninomiya grinned easily, sat down to the nearest chair, and stared at Yuichi.

"What do you want, Ninomiya? You're creeping me out! I know my looks is above-average but I can't appreciate that kind of attention from a guy!"

"Na, don't talk nonsense! I need your help. We are hosting the inter-school art exhibition in early July, so we need more people to prepare for it. If you're in the organization team, it's easier to get volunteers." The president paused a bit, then added suggestively. "You can start right this afternoon after the class here, if you feel like it."

Yuichi nearly said "No!" right away to such a shameless attempt to exploit him, but an idea dawned in his head. Trying to calm his quickening pulse, he asked carelessly as if out of mere curiosity.

"What's the big deal about some exhibition?"

"It's not _some_ exhibition, it's _the_ exhibition! The whole Tokyo is in it. So it's big! You must help me! I beg you!"

An art exhibition! With participants from all Tokyo schools! Coupling this new information with his firm memory that Fujii Karin had an art assignment, it was likely that she was preparing for this occasion. She would perhaps even come to his school on the day of the exhibition. Thus, by being inside the organization process, his chance of finding her would be higher. That bright prospect made his heart swell with hope. Feigning hesitation to buy time to select his words so that his motives could be concealed, Yuichi said with the trademark condescension of the Kazukis.

"Fine, fine. I'm in. But my price is high. Remember that!"

The president grinned toothily, seeing that his goal was accomplished. "Thanks. You won't be bored, I promise! This exhibition is big. Who knows what you will see there!"

Yuichi nodded and gestured his classmate to go away. It was slightly disturbing that Ninomiya's remark was strangely reminiscent of what his father had said about unexpected things coming from meeting people and the like. But on the bright side, finally there was some hints for the puzzle. Smiling satisfactorily to himself, Yuichi stretched his tired muscles and prepared his brain for the next lecture.

***

As promised, Yuichi accompanied Ninomiya to Ryokuyo after class at prep school. Seeing the place busy in a summer afternoon, he clearly grasped how important the event really was. Like the president had predicted, his participation was heartily welcome, mainly thanks to his status as the school celebrity. When they left the organizational team's headquarters, Ninomiya said with a triumphant smile.

"See? Didn't I say that they're happy to get you? Be glad that you're so appreciated."

"Na, it's just talk. They're happy because they snare another slave. Thanks to you." Yuichi retaliated with a mocking tone. "Is it all? I have to go all the way from prep school under this heat just for that?"

"If you really want to work, go to the gallery. They're cleaning there. One more helping hand should be good. But I can't go with you. I have to meet with the treasurer in five minute. Bye!" Having spoken that with rocket speed, the president dashed off and disappeared within seconds.

Yuichi struggled his shoulders a bit. Now that he was already there, doing some manual work should not hurt. Besides, perhaps it was a kind of price to find his Cinderella. With such philosophy, he headed to the place.

***

At first, Yuichi seriously doubted his decision to help out at the gallery, for he seemed to be rather a disturbance. When he showed up, all the girls were flustered, and one or two guys frowned a bit. Luckily, the instructor of the art club, who was in charge of the site, immediately directed them back to work, and after hearing his explanation, assigned him the task of boxing and moving the paintings to the storeroom nearby. He quietly accepted the arrangement and quickly set to work, ignoring all the giggling and whisperings behind his back.

The collection of students' artworks was one of the prides of Ryokuyo, and Yuichi could see the reason, even if his interest in art was just lukewarm as best. Most of the paintings he were taking care of were really interesting, and he could not help admiring a bit before packing them away. When he came to an impressionistic painting of a morning dew perching on the graceful curve of a grass leaf, he had a discovery that nearly caused him a heart attack. The painting was signed at the right corner with the Latin letters "F.W.", and most importantly, they were in the same sketchy style with the little loop at the end of the "w" as the initials on _her_ handkerchief. To make sure that his eyes and mind did not play tricks on him because of some failure in his circuits under the recent emotional upheavals, Yuichi took out the handkerchief, pretended to wipe his face, and shakily compared the signature with the initials. An indescribable sensation filled his whole being at the revelation. It was no doubt! They were the same! He suddenly felt like singing right then and there, but remembering time, place and occasion, kept himself in check. Surely the reason of his working for the exhibition was to find Fujii Karin, but even in his most optimistic estimation, he had not expected the result to come _that_ fast. Even better, she was in the same school as him, something he did not even think of. His mind intoxicated with thoughts about honey and flower, he did not spare a glance for the painting's accompanying tag, and hastened to get his task done with a full vigour.

***

"Thank you very much, Kazuki-san! You have been a great help!"

"It was nothing! Sensei, could you..."

Before Yuichi could finish his request, the art instructor already turned to another student. He bit his lip frustratedly, as he had missed the chance to get some information about his runaway beauty. Detecting a group of girls approaching him from a corner of his eyes, he left the gallery as fast as discretion allowed to avoid a worthless exchange, because he knew for sure he would not be able to hide the irritation.

Impatient as he was, it seemed that there was nothing he could do at the moment. He dared not ask anyone besides the art teacher and Ninomiya. Just imagining about the girls' reactions when he inquired them after another girl gave him cold sweats, and his own experience proved the myth about boys being better secret keepers painfully wrong. And this issue was so important for him to carelessly reveal to just any person. But the instructor was too busy to attend to him, and he had no idea about the president's whereabouts.

Wishing for some quietness to sort out the situation and come up with a strategy, he opted to leave the school by the small gate, an exit of which very few students knew. As he expected, aside from the part designated for the exhibition, the school was completely empty. The solitude together with the calming sound of evening wind running through the leaves soothed his nerves, which had been over-strained since the fateful date. Such atmosphere suited him, so he did not leave immediately for home, where he would have to pretend everything was alright again, but took his time to wander instead to the close by clock tower, which perfectly served his search for a tranquil haven.


	5. Confusion

**Disclaimer: ** "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". What I am really doing here is developing the idea as described in Kasumi-san's author's note into a full-fledged story. I have been intrigued by her idea for a while and would really like to try working on it. In other word, the details and the unfolding of events in this story are my own evil working, so come back to me if you have any problem with them. Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

Where is my Physics knowledge when I really need it? -__-. On another note, I nearly laughed out loud in class today because the topic was perception and interpretation of emotions, and romantic attraction naturally came up ^__^. I'm sorry Kazuki, but you're my favourite subject for thought experiments after getting such inputs.

Never mind my rant. This chapter was originally meant to be the second part of chapter 3 but I decided to separate it because it has a different overtone/mood. I intended to post it together with the third chapter, but held back for further editing.

Thanks for reading and reviewing. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the previous ones.

**Note**: I add a new chapter between the original chapters 2 and 3 (so it's the current chapter 3). It's from Wataru's point of view, set right after the date. I drafted it before the old chapter 3 just to pilot my plot, but decided to make it complete. However, the majority of the story will still be about Kazuki. I simply like to bully him.

**********

--Confusion--

The old, dusty, secluded and rumoured to be haunted clock tower, which had not performed its supposed function since heaven knew when, was not frequented by students in general. Even Yuichi just went there when he was taken by a strong fit of misanthrope or seriously in need of concentration. However, as he was about to enter the small free space next to where the mechanical part of the clock was placed, he saw that his hideout was already occupied. Sitting sideways with his back leaning on one side of the narrow frame of the large window was a boy, with a notebook was on his laps and pencil in his right hand, busily scratching on the white paper. The wind played with his raven dark hair, and his whole slender body, clad in simple T-shirt and jeans, was bathed in the gentle warm-coloured evening sunlight.

Yuichi's whole body went rigid in shock for one split second, not because his secret haven was taken, but because of the occupant himself: if it had not been for the gender, Yuichi would have put his hands on a burning candle and sworn that the boy was the Cinderella he was looking for. He instinctively walked closer for a better view, and at each step, the similarity became more and more salient from the lithe frame to the innocent, child-like profile. Even the manner with which the unknown boy was absorbed in his work was identical to hers: the aura of absolute attention emanated from the whole body, and a hint of a smile played hide-and-seek on the well-formed lips. It was breathtaking. For the second time that day, Yuichi thought he was hallucinating. The sharp mind, which was his greatest pride, completely failed him at that moment. He could not tell what was going on, nor did he know what to do. All he could do was to stare in amazement at the little invader.

Perhaps Yuichi was standing there too long or his gaze was too intense, for the boy finally noticed his presence and looked up in his direction. Their eyes met for a second and Yuichi's heart raced erratically: those large dark orbs were exactly the jewels that haunted his dream every night.

"Watch out!"

Yuichi must have been looking like a ghost, because the boy, with a squeak, lost his balance on the narrow window frame and would have fallen out, had Yuichi not caught his right arm in time and pulled him inside. However, the notebook was not as fortunate as its owner: it slid from his laps and vanished into the space below. Having narrowly escaped a dangerous accident, the kid was slightly shaking and unconsciously leaned on his saviour's firm chest for support. At such close proximity, the feeling of familiarity was even stronger, and for a second, Yuichi nearly felt the urge to tightly embrace the slender form that was resting on his. He was completely puzzled. It was as if _she_ was there and not there at the same time.

They stood like that, until the boy came to himself and fully realized the situation. Flushing to the deepest red, he quickly detached himself from Yuichi, reached for his small bag, and vanished. It was strangely deja vu. Did Yuichi's Cinderella not disappear from him the similar way? But no matter how much the boy was similar to her, they could not be the same person! Shaking his head for the chaotically floating thoughts and emotions to fall into their places, Yuichi tried to analyse the situation. With such astoundingly identical looks, could that boy be related to her? They could be siblings that were close in age, or even twins. Yet he had not heard about brother and sister who looked _that_ alike being in his school. If the kid was just a visitor, then the only reason he was at Ryokuyo was that he came with a friend, or relative. And that person could be her, and she could be right at the school at that moment, just one building or two away from him....

Just thinking about such possibility put both his body and mind on red alert. Yuichi immediately turned around and ran back to the preparation area, praying that he was not too late. Every head turned when he passed by, and eyes stared at him curiously, but he did not give it a damn. Not stopping even once to ask people for fear of missing her, he surveyed all areas he could think of, all his senses strained to search for that one face, but neither she nor even the unknown boy was to be found. When he was back to the clock tower, he was completely out of breath, and had to sit down on a bench. A sense of helplessness crept into his heart. His intuition told him that she was somewhere very close to him, and just one step further, she would be in front of his eyes. But it also seemed that he kept missing the most important clue. Did Heaven mean her to be _his_ Cinderella or not? Yuichi stood up and raised his head defiantly. Nothing would stop him trying to win her heart. This feeling was simply too strong for him to ignore and continue his life the way it was before, and he was wise enough to know that this was one of the matters that he had to fight for to the limits, if he did not want to live with regret for eternity.

Yuichi's eyes caught something lying on the ground. It was a thick notebook with a black cover. The scene with the unknown boy flashed back in his mind. That's right! The kid's notebook did slid from his laps and fell down, and it made sense that it ended up here. He examined the notebook critically. Why did this kid also draw and even use the same notebook as his Cinderella? He could not help a laugh at his almost sullen thought. Black notebooks were not rare, and if that boy turned out to be her brother, it was normal for them to share the same interest. Like he and his brother. But she was special to him, and he did not want to confuse her with anyone else, relative or not. He was alarmed by the surprisingly strong sense of familiarity to the extent of wanting to hug that boy when they met earlier, and he attributed that to the identical look. He felt somewhat guilty, as if he had been unfaithful to her, the one his adoration was meant for, and inwardly promised her that such sacrilege would not be repeated.

Nevertheless, Yuichi's instinct sensed that there was some fate at work when he encountered that boy. Out of mere curiosity, he distractedly opened the cover of the notebook. After all the incidents that day, he thought that nothing could surprise him any more. How wrong could that be! On the first page, there were characters of an unknown name, "Fujii Wataru". But beside those there was a signature in Latin letters, the shape of which was burnt in his memory: "F.W.".

***

Yuichi never thought that someday he would read something private of someone else without permission. Yet here he was, firmly sitting on his bed to prevent a potential accident caused by too much surprise, and attentively scanning through the black notebook for a clue that could help him get out of this foggy maze. On one hand, beyond his expectation, pieces of the puzzle began to appear one by one after that long hopeless deadlock. On the other hand, he could not make sense of them. Surely "Fujii Wataru" matched the initials "F.W.", but if that was that boy's signature, why could it be on the handkerchief of his Cinderella? Apparently the kid was her brother as they had the same family name and looks, but such an item was too personal to get confused with that of another person! Furthermore, if "F.W." referred to that unknown boy, then the kid was the author of the painting Yuichi saw in the gallery, and respectively, was no visitor but a Ryokuyo student. In that case, there would be one more lead to his beauty. The kid was apparently in the art club, and in the context of the preparation for the exhibition, it could not be easier to find him and smoke out the information...

Yuichi's thought went back to the encounter. The reaction of that boy when he saw Yuichi was no less puzzling. Surely, one could be startled from being unknowingly observed, and the window frame was indeed narrow. But to lose balance and nearly fall off was going a bit too far. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but now that Yuichi thought carefully about it, when their eyes met, he had the fleeting impression that the kid was not just surprised but _scared_. Yuichi inadvertently smiled. Those dark eyes revealed all their owner's emotions, exactly the same as hers. He grew serious again. The kid was _not_ her, and apart from the looks, he could swear that he had never met that boy, so there was no way something wrong could happen between them...

What did he not know? What clue did he miss? He eagerly flipped through the notebook. As he vaguely expected, there were nothing inside it but drawings, most of the time tagged with respective occasion and place. Apparently these were records of memorable scenes. Yuichi gasped when he caught a sketchy, but vivid portrayal of a young girl trying to catch a hat carried away by the wind, for that was no other than his Cinderella. The girl appeared a few more times, in various cute poses. This confirmed that the boy was _really_ close to her! A mixture of tenderness and slight jealousy surging in his veins, Yuichi turned to the next page. In front of him were sketches of some exotic flowers, which he had seen at Central Park on the date. He remembered those flowers too well, because he had talked a lot with her about them. Yuichi reasoned that the flower exhibition was public so the boy could naturally have been there, but it was a bit unsettling that the types of flowers that they discussed appeared in _this_ notebook. Well, siblings might have the same taste after all. Assuring himself with that thought, though he had no real reason to panic, Yuichi went through one or two more pages.

Heaven certainly wanted to mess him up properly that day, for one more time his brain was overloaded. For a few pages there were drawing and redrawing of the same scene: a young man putting a small chick into a nest. The perspective was that of an observer standing close by below. This was too much for a coincidence. There was no explanation for this, other than the boy had somehow been present in the date, which Yuichi could be certain was _not_ the case.

He seriously needed a serious talk with this boy. As soon as possible.


	6. Calmness

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.  
**One more disclaimer**: The story of "The Scarlet Sails" belongs to the Russian writer Alexandre Grin. It's a charming story that I highly recommend.

Sorry for ranting about my lack of sanity incessantly recently. It's just that adrenalin (and caffeine) in my body has been seriously high during these two weeks. It helps me work more productively, but makes me constantly on pins and needles.

From this chapter, I enter the most dangerous part of my story, which either makes or breaks it. I´m holding my breath and wait for you guys´ reactions on this.

One request: a reviewer points out to me that I have mistakes in my writing, which is likely given the speed and state of mind I often write in. Therefore, if possible, I'd like to find someone to help me track down the mistakes. Please reply in the review if you're interested. However, the only compensation I can offer is early access to my chapters.

**********

--Calmness--

Much as Yuichi wanted to get into action and unfold the mystery, circumstances dictated him to wait. His brother and sister-in-law wanted a weekend get-away between only them, so their little daughter Takako was sent to his parents' house, and the babysitting task ultimately fell onto Yuichi, who did not have any "official" engagement. The little girl was fond of her young uncle and stuck to him, and his parents could not very well cope with her energy even with their powers combined. Therefore, Yuichi's whole Saturday was naturally dedicated to the little princess of his family, and whether he wanted it or not, the issue of his heart- and headache had to be put aside. He would not have time to think about it anyway, as his niece was a seven-year-old spirited and energetic child, whose greatest delights in life were adventures and discoveries.

Takako had just got a pretty white toy ship with scarlet sails for her birthday, and was not content with trying it out in bathtub or rubber pond. Thus she and her uncle embarked on a journey to a not too faraway park, where they knew there was a small artificial canal. It was a perfect day for playing outdoors, and when the miniature ship touched the water, the scarlet shade of the sails glowed like fire under the sunlight, making a beautiful sight. Takako clapped happily, obviously proud of her achievement. She began to pretend that there was a real crew on the ship and give them orders. Yuichi silently watched his niece play, his thoughts involuntarily yet steadily flew back to his fateful date. The sun shined just as brilliantly then, and they were also walking around in a park. She never ceased to amaze and delight him with her observations and reactions. It was only one week ago but the emotional roller-coaster made him feel like a year had passed. He wondered if he would be able to walk side-by-side with his Cinderella again someday...

Lost in such thoughts, Yuichi failed to notice that a stronger than usual wind had arose and carried the ship along the canal. For fear of losing her new toy, Takako followed it although she did not actually dare to come into the water. When he finally realized that his niece was missing, Yuichi nearly panicked. He ran, even if he did not know where he should go, and desperately called his niece's name. Words could not describe how relieved he was when he saw her safely sitting on the grass and chatting blithely with a teenage boy, who was holding her ship. Stopping a bit to regain his breath and to assume a strict air, Yuichi approached the duo.

"Don't you know it's bad to just run away like that, Takako?" He said with a serious voice and folded arms, so that his niece understood the gravity of the situation. The little girl and the other boy jolted and looked up at him.

Thinking that her uncle was angry, Takako hid behind the older boy and peered out at Yuichi furtively. The young uncle started a bit when he saw his niece's companion, for that was no other than the owner of the mysterious notebook, that "Fujii Wataru" kid. The questions that haunted him since the night before immediately flooded back. However, firmly deciding to sweep them aside, Yuichi knelt down so that his eyes were at the same level as those of the others. His keen observation did not fail to register that the dark-eyed boy visibly froze at his appearance. He was instantly reminded of their first encounter. Now he was convinced that there was definitely something unusual about that boy, as if Yuichi had done something to him. He frowned slightly inside. He never liked those who held secret grudges. If that boy had any problem with him, then he had better say it out, man to man. But that was irrelevant for the time being. Shaking off the unnecessary annoyance, Yuichi focused again on his niece.

"Really, Takako! You scared me to death!" He smiled slightly, seeing how serious the girl took his rebuke.

Takako was evidently relieved at her uncle's softened expression, and slowly reappeared from behind the dark-eyed boy. On a closer look, Yuichi realized that part of the boy's trousers was soaking wet. Given that the kid was also holding the ship, it was not hard to deduce what happened. Apparently he had recovered the toy for Takako and entertained her until Yuichi arrived. Not being an unreasonable person, he politely said to the boy.

"Thanks a lot for taking care of Takako."

"It was nothing..." The dark-eyed boy mumbled sheepishly, looking down. Then he raised his head again, this time gazed straight into Yuichi's eyes, and said quickly. "I was rude yesterday. Thanks for saving me."

"You're welcome" Yuichi properly replied, holding back a smile. The boy's attitude amused him. For some reason the kid always behaved awkwardly when being around him, yet those dark eyes still insisted on meeting his when the "thank you" was said, which was stubborn yet endearing at the same time. He vaguely remembered that he had seen some thing similar before, but could not dwell on that for long. His niece, who already regained her usual energetic manner, pulled his arm.

¨Uncle Yuichi, oni-chan is telling me a story about a ship that has red sails!¨

¨Oh, so I´m interrupting you guys then. What´s in this story?¨ Yuichi smilingly asked his niece. He adored the little girl and was willing to keep her in a good temper.

¨There was a girl. Her mother died so she lived with her father. She was not happy. Her father loved her but people around them were cruel. She had no friend. But a wise old man told her a prophecy that someday happiness would come to her in a ship with red sails...¨ Takako recounted the story proudly and energetically, but she was interrupted. The dark-eyed boy, who had been silently listening to the conversation, slowly stood up.

¨Well, now that your uncle is here, I´m not needed any more. Be more careful next time! Have a nice day!¨ He said to Takako. However, the little girl did not allow him to go that easily. She immediately held his arm tightly, and pouted.

¨No, you can´t go! You have not finished the story!¨

¨Takako...¨ The boy hesitated and stole a glance at Yuichi. The young uncle intended to tell his niece to let the boy go, but her disappointment made him think otherwise. He could not refuse his niece anything. Added to that were his own interests, which told him not to miss this chance to get some hint for the puzzle about his Cinderella. With the most polite and friendly manner possible, he seriously requested.

¨If you are not busy, please stay with Takako a bit longer. You see, she´s so unhappy that you´re leaving.¨

The boy did not reply right away. He looked alternately at Takako, whose mood was visibly downcast, and Yuichi as if considering what he should do. Finally, with a slight sign, he sat down on the grass again.

¨Ok, I´ll stay. Where are we again? Have I come to the part about the captain yet?¨ He asked Takako. The girl immediately brightened and cheerfully said.

¨No, you only told me about the prophecy.¨

¨Well, after that...¨

The story was continued, hesitantly at first, but gained momentum as it went. It was a simple story about pursuers of dreams and happiness. It was lovely in its own rights but Yuichi must admit, it was the storyteller that gave the story the effect of a spell. The boy, who seemed to be charmed by what he was telling himself, became more and more eloquent. His voice was richer, and his large dark eyes sparkled with the light of genuine joy and enthusiasm. Yuichi understood why his niece did not want the boy to leave, for he himself was bewitched. Before he realized it, he was attentively listening to the story without taking his eyes off the boy. The overwhelming feeling of familiarity invaded him again. Did his Cinderella not shine with the same charm when she was telling him about how she came to like art? If Yuichi had abandoned all logical reasoning and followed what he was _feeling_, he would have seriously believed that she were right in front of him. He had to fight hardly against the wish to reach out his hands to touch the face he dreamed of, and drown himself in those two star-lit dark pools...

¨Thus Asole and Grey found each other, and they lived happily together.¨ The boy concluded his story with a smile, which was mainly directed to Takako but went straight into her uncle´s heart. Yuichi suddenly found himself speaking as if in a daze.

¨So the captain found both his dreamed career and the girl he loved. Lucky guy!¨ He was thinking about the puzzle of his Cinderella.

¨But he also had to seriously fight for it! He succeeded because he was determined. Don´t you think so?¨ The storyteller solemnly countered.

Yuichi looked at the dark-eyed boy in amazement. The way that statement was put strangely emboldened his hope for his pursuit of happiness. Furthermore, he knew too well that expression, which revealed how the boy was convinced of what he said. Yuichi wondered why he saw so much of _her_ in this boy. It was not just their looks were identical, but also their behaviours and personalities. Was it real, or just a trick of his mind?

When Yuichi occupied himself with such thoughts, his niece voiced her comment.

¨Will someday a prince or a captain come for me too?¨

The dark-eyed boy smiled ¨Who knows? Everyone has a special person.¨

¨Then will he kiss and marry me?¨ The girl continued her inquiry.

¨Yes, but only if you like it.¨ The boy answered her with surprising earnestness.

Perhaps it was just his imagination but Yuichi felt this comment was targeted to him. He remembered too well how he suddenly kissed his date and was punished by a slap. Feeling the need to justify himself even if the person in question was not there, he asked with the same manner with which the statement was said, but his grey eyes smiled to the dark ones.

¨Is it not enough that the prince kisses his princess out of love?¨

The boy stared at him with a touch of defiance. ¨No! Isn´t it disrespect if there is no consent?¨ He said sharply.

¨Fair enough. But think about the prince and how he must feel! Would you deny him his happiness?¨ Yuichi responded half teasingly. Normally he would not be so childish as to strive for upper hand in a trivial talk. But his mind was a bit dazed by the familiar aura coming from the boy, and his sporting spirit was awakened by the challenge posed in those dark eyes. Then he continued more seriously. ¨Don´t underestimate the force of love! If people are truly in love, they can do things they themselves cannot imagine. Even if the other person may not like it.¨ He concluded a bit ruefully, thinking of his own blunder. He could not help but wonder if she was still angry about it.

Perhaps something in the way he said it touched the boy, for there came no antagonistic response. Instead the kid looked at him thoughtfully. Realizing that he was showing his weakness, Yuichi regained his pace by provoking the kid a bit.

¨What´s with that face? Is my philosophy too much for you?¨

The dark-eyed boy immediately retaliated. ¨No, I think it´s mere sophism and a poor excuse for bad actions.¨

¨My, you´re hard to please! But I think even you want a kiss from the one you love.¨ He teased, almost coquettishly.

The boy responded with a scowl, and Yuichi burst out laughing. The sullen face in front of him was funny yet cute. At that moment, he felt so cheerful. The weather was excellent, and he was in good company. All stress built up during the week within him vanished.

Takako was probably feeling left out, for she pulled the dark-eyed boy´s arm.

¨Oni-chan, one more story. pleease!¨

The boy smiled and shook his head lightly. ¨Sorry Takako. I just remember that one.¨ Seeing that the little girl was crestfallen, he added ¨But I have some paper and pencil with me. I can draw you something. What do you like?¨

Takako immediately brightened and began to make her requests which the boy complied. The spell of the story still lingered as they imagined together the captain and the girl, their ship, and other details. Yuichi became somewhat abandoned, but that sat well with him. The scene of his niece playing with the dark-eyed boy delighted him, so he lied down comfortably on the grass and watched them. He stopped thinking, and simply enjoyed the day out. He fell into a waking dream, in which he was having a content and peaceful time lying lazily on the grass with his Cinderella within sight.

Yuichi´s daydream was brutally interrupted by the ring of cellphone. It was the boy´s phone. Apparently the person at the other side was not in a good mood, for the boy frowned a bit. Hastily sticking the phone back to his pocket and gathering the paper and pencil, he said to Takako.

¨I´m sorry. I must go.¨

¨You go already?¨ The girl said with a disappointed face. If Yuichi was to be honest, he would admit that he shared his niece´s sentiment.

¨Yea, my sister is already mad with me. She wants to go somewhere today, so I promised to take care of the house. Good bye!¨

The word ¨sister¨ reminded Yuichi of his unanswered questions, but it was too late. The boy nodded to him in farewell, and ran away with top-speed. Yuichi signed and looked at his niece.

¨Shall we go home too?¨

The girl nodded obediently. Uncle and niece walked together in silence for a while. Then Takako said thoughtfully.

¨Uncle Yuichi, is oni-chan a sorcerer?¨

Yuichi could not help a smile. Takako apparently like the dark-eyed boy a lot. His niece was no difficult child, but it was rare for her to get attached to a stranger so quickly. ¨Why do you think so?¨, he asked.

¨He can draw, he knows stories, and he knows my name before I tell him. Just like Mother Fairy.¨

¨What?!!¨ That was indeed _impossible_. Yuichi knew for sure that the boy had no previous contact with his family, then how on earth the kid knew Takako? He was the brother of his Cinderella. That much was true, but a little niece´s name was not something for one to tell one´s brother about a date and for the said brother to remember.

¨I´m not telling lies. I tried to go into the water to get the ship. He called my name and got the ship for me.¨ The little girl earnestly defended her words.

¨I believe you, Takako! What else did he tell you?¨ Yuichi could feel how impatience surge in his veins again.

¨Nothing. When I asked him how he knew me, he just smiled and looked away.¨ She paused a bit, then added thoughtfully. ¨Oni-chan really looked like the nee-chan last week!¨

_Even Takako noticed that_, he inwardly remarked. Things had become more and more mysterious. Who was that boy really? Yuichi signed. With puzzle after puzzle, the happy ending seemed so far away. Nevertheless, he remembered the captain of the ship with scarlet sails who wrought miracles with his own hand in the boy´s story. Smile returned to his lips and belief to his heart.

********

One thing I get from writing this chapter: I know too little about children.


	7. Conspiracy

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

Thanks a lot for the offers to proofread my writing. On second thought, I´d like to finish and upload all of the story before my spring break is over and things get crazy again, otherwise I´ll probably never come to to the end (my attention span is short after all). I promise I´ll proofread later. (I´m really doing things backward but I think it´s optimal). So please bear with my mistakes and if possible, please point them out to me (not just grammatical errors but other issues as well). After all, learning is a never-ending process

I´m happy that the last chapter has received such positive response. It´s really encouraging when I´m tiptoeing between Scylla of blandness and Charybdis of blatant illogic at this stage of the story.

**********

--Conspiracy--

The exercise of the day really tired Takako out, for she wanted to go to bed soon after dinner. While Mrs. Kazuki took care of her, Yuichi and his father sat together for the after-meal tea, a family tradition. Over the warm fragrance of the lotus tea, they talked about all kinds of topics ranging from serious to trivial. It was these moments that maintained the cordial relationship between father and son. When the teapot was nearly empty and the talk died down a bit, Mr. Kazuki casually asked his son.

¨Is everything fine with you?¨

Unable to discern what his father was getting at, Yuichi questioned back ¨I´m perfectly normal. Why did you say that?¨

The elder Kazuki closely observed his son. ¨Well, you have been kind of down this week. So I´m wondering...¨

Though his father´s tone was very innocent, Yuichi could feel a chill running along his spine. Had he been that transparent? He did come home with his head low, but the next days he took pain to put on the elaborate act that everything was normal again. He thought that his parents already let the matter drop. However, apparently he had underestimated his father´s perceptiveness. Carefully selecting his words and attitude so as to not stir up any suspicion, he said with the same manner as his father.

¨It´s just stress. Tokyo University´s entrance exam is really rough! But don´t worry, Dad! Just some rest and I´ll be all right. I´ll even get the highest score.¨ To make it more convincing, he showed his best confident smile, and changed the topic. ¨Would you like some more tea? I´ll boil the water.¨ Before his father even answered, he retreated to the kitchen.

Mr. Kazuki´s piercing grey eyes narrowed a bit behind his son´s back. He quietly smiled to himself.

***

The weekend passed by without any other event. Yuichi greeted the new week with full energy and new determination. He resumed his usual schedule at prep school and listened to the lectures like a model student. However, in truth, he was on pins and needles the whole time for the end-class bell. When that magical moment finally arrived, he dashed out of the classroom so fast that it surprised the others. He headed straight to Ryokuyo with one purpose in mind: to find the dark-eyed boy and get whichever information the kid was holding about his Cinderella. He had missed his chance in the meeting in the park, and it was time to make up for that.

***

As the most physically demanding task, the cleaning up of the building designated for the exhibition halls, had been taken care of in the week before, what was left was mostly paperwork, decoration and other nameless chores. It was not like there was nothing to do, however, now that the no-nonsense art instructor was away and there were enough labours, Ryokuyo people, especially the girls, did not let Yuichi touch anything out of fear that their prince would get dirty. Though he was seriously annoyed at being treated like a glass ornament, the situation was actually beneficial for his ulterior motive. Thus, duly and properly responding to all greetings but subtly avoiding all chit-chats, he wandered from room to room looking for the dark-eyed boy. After a while, in a room at a quiet corner away from the bustling centre of the preparation, he found his target half hidden by high piles of bags, guidebooks, and badges. The boy was diligently assembling the participants´ packages all alone. His delicate profile, his slender figure and the lonely silent atmosphere gave him the air of a Cinderella abandoned at home with the housework while everyone else went to the party. In such setting, it could not help that all scheming had to wait a bit longer...

¨You´re doing all this by yourself?¨ Yuichi entered the room and eyed all the stuffs critically. They were meant for virtually all art students in Tokyo, and that was telling enough about the necessary amount of work.

The boy startled at hearing Yuichi´s voice and looked up, the large dark eyes widening a bit when they recognized who he was. There came no answer, as the boy was apparently confused by his appearance.

¨What´s with that face? Don´t act as if I am a ghost! Are you doing all this alone? Isn´t there someone else?¨ Yuichi casually knelt down beside the boy, grinning. Though he could not always explain the kid´s expressions in response to him and his comments, they amused him.

Recovering his composure, the boy curtly replied while returning to the tedious task. ¨There are two other people, but they haven´t showed up.¨

¨I see.¨ Yuichi said and nimbly reached for one bag. ¨What do I have to put in here?¨

The boy looked at him questioningly. ¨You don´t _have_ to do this. You know it, don´t you?¨

¨Neither do you. Why don´t you just skip like the others?¨ Already warmed up for the sport, Yuichi returned the boy´s question with a question, a quizzical smile playing on his lips. Without realizing it, he had fallen into the habit of invoking reactions from the boy just for the fun of seeing that kaleidoskopic play of emotions in those pretty innocent eyes.

¨I promised that I would help.¨ The boy stated matter-of-factly as if that were something so obvious that Yuichi should have seen in the first place.

¨And I want to help!¨ Heaven witnessed, that was the truth. A cynical person might suspect that Yuichi had his ulterior motive in mind, but the offer was sincere. After all, kindness was one of the main components of his real nature, and he simply could not ignore the fact that the kid was practically abandoned with piles of stuffs to package. Seeing that the kid was still hesitant, he said again with warmer tone and smile. ¨Come on! It will take ages to get this done all by yourself. Just tell me what to do!¨

Reluctance remained on the boy´s face, but he complied. ¨Well, one catalogue, one certificate, and one badge for each bag, if you _really_ want to give a hand.¨

Hearing that answer, Yuichi grinned triumphantly and began his temporary career as an assembly line worker.

***

They concentrated in the task without exchanging any further word. From time to time, Yuichi stole a glance at his companion, who was apparently absorbed in packaging and did not spare him any attention. Once again, an overwhelming sense of familiarity invaded him as soon as he saw the kid, but having prepared himself for that, he was no longer awe-struck. Instead, his inquisitive mind began to demand an answer for those feelings. The kid affected him the same way as his Cinderella did, and it was not just because of the looks. It was to the extent that at some point in their encounter in the park, the kid and she blended into one in his perception, which greatly perplexed him. His ego protested the idea that his mind had been so degenerated that he confused the one he liked with another person, let alone a _brother_, but he could not deny what he felt. Perhaps when he met her again, his feelings would clear up and return to the one for whom they were meant. Before that, he had to somehow find her first, and this boy could help him with that.

Slowly but surely, a subtle tension began to form in the silence. Perhaps the boy could sense that he was being observed and felt either annoyed or nervous. Unwilling to alienate the boy, who was close to his Cinderella and whom he acknowledged to be a genuinely good person judging from their meeting in the park, Yuichi broke the awkward ice by a casual remark.

¨You members of the art club have to work in holiday time for this exhibition. It must be hard.¨

¨Not really...¨ The boy rejected that comment. ¨We´re all looking forward to it. It´s really a special occasion! There will be a lot of things to see and admire!¨ The speech was accompanied by an enthusiastic tone and a true smile, which made Yuichi smile himself. The boy in turn commented.

¨You are working for the exhibition as well, even when you´ve to prepare for university exam. It´s really nice of you!¨

The unexpected and not-without-sincerity compliment caught Yuichi off-guard. He was embarrassed a bit that his motive to help was not so pure, and in one way or another concerned this boy out of all people. He grinned with some sarcasm directed at himself.

¨I? I´m just some push-over who doesn´t know what to do with his time so that doesn´t count.¨ Anxious to get away from that topic, he asked ¨Are you submitting your work to this exhibition? I look forward to seeing it!¨

The boy laughed nervously. ¨Well, I haven´t even started my painting yet. I have tried several topics, but none of them works.¨ The statement was said with ruefulness, and there was a hint of helplessness in it.

His instinct of a protector awakened, Yuichi said amicably ¨Just take your time and I´m sure it´ll be great! I´ve seen your painting of the morning dew on the grass in the gallery. It was really interesting!¨

The boy´s cheeks became two peach blossoms. ¨You have seen my painting?¨

The cute face the boy made delighted Yuichi, and he wanted to see more, so he said a little provocatively. ¨Why´re you so flustered that I´ve seen it? Artworks are meant for the public, aren´t they?¨

The boy answered this remark by shaking his head as if chasing away an annoying fly, and looked straight into what he was assembling, a clear signal he wanted to end all chit-chat.

Yuichi would have continued to tease the boy, but he suddenly realized that he was falling in the same trap as the time in the park, where he let himself be controlled by what he felt so much that he totally missed a precious chance. Judging that it was time to execute his plan, he straightened his face and cleared his throat.

¨Ah, I found this notebook on the yard in front of the clock tower the other day. It´s yours, isn´t it? I saw you drawing into it.¨ Rummaging in his bag, Yuichi took out the said object and showed it to the boy. As expected, the boy´s expression changed immediately.

¨Y-You´ve found it?¨

¨Does that matter? Is it yours or not?¨

The boy lowered his gaze and looked up again, receiving the notebook with both hands. After looking at the first page on which the mysterious signature ¨F.W.¨ was, the kid confirmed concisely. ¨It´s really mine. Both my name and signature are on it.¨

Yuichi had to pause a moment to ponder his course of action. How should he proceed? How could he secure victory with minimum casualty? It would not be wise to ask someone about his sister carelessly, especially with the intent of seriously pursuing her. Assuming his best casual tone, he brought out a seemingly innocent remark.

¨So your name is Fujii Wataru! ¨Well of wisteria¨ and ¨little stream¨, that´s a nice combination!¨

¨You´ve _looked_ into my notebook?¨ The boy cried out so accusingly that Yuichi felt as if he had commited a crime. Reminding himself to bring the secret that he had thoroughly examined every pages for his personal benefits to his grave, he explained himself.

¨I wanted to find whose the notebook was, so I looked into it for some clue. Is it so bad for you?¨

¨N-No. I´m sorry I was rude. You took the trouble to bring it back to me after all.¨ The boy shook his head lightly and diverted his eyes, apparently ashamed by his outburst.

Yuichi signed inwardly. He felt bad that he was about to corner the boy even further. But as he was already on the way, the intensity of his love-sickness and the impatience to unravel the mystery did not allow him to back down. Smiling friendly to sooth the boy, he warmly said.

¨Please don´t be so tensed, I was just asking.¨ Letting a chatty tone mixed in his voice, he continued. ¨Well, we may not be absolute strangers after all. It seems that your father and mine are colleagues. Have you heard of a firm called _Asahi_?¨

He was about to explain his assumption in one way or another, then use the alleged connection to mention the date arranged by his father, and finally ask about his Cinderella, who was apparently the kid´s sister. He would let the problem of the unexplainable sketchings and the kid´s familiarity with Takako rest, though he was dying to find answers to those as well. Over-greediness never brought good results.

Unfortunately for Yuichi, he never got to put his planning into implementation, as the face of Ninomiya unexpectedly showed up.

¨Hey Kazuki! What the hell are you doing here? I´ve been looking all over the school for you.¨

Annoyed that he was so rudely interrupted, Yuichi did not bother to restrain the derision in his response.

¨Are you blind or what? I´m working. I´m not needed there and there is something to do here. This is what called ¨helping¨ in the first place, isn´t it?¨

The president opened his mouth and then closed it again. With a more patient tone, he said.

¨Sorry, I didn´t mean anything like that. It´s just that you disappear and people are asking. There are some guests coming, and you´re the best representative of our school. Could you take care of that?¨

Yuichi hesitantly looked at the dark-eyed boy, unwilling to leave. As if reading his thought, the president said.

¨I´ll send someone over here. He won´t have to work alone. So please just go.¨

The boy backed that suggestion by nodding slightly to Yuichi. Unable to find any really good reason to stay, he opted to give up and follow Ninomiya. He did not see the indescribable expression in the large dark eyes that watched him behind his back.

***

Yuichi looked darkly at his breakfast. He did not feel like eating. The failure to complete his plan and the pain of acting host to incredibly annoying visitors whose mouths were faster than their brains the day before badly dampened his mood. In that state of mind, he even doubted his chance of success. It seemed that everything acted against him. Now he had to start things all over again.

A telephone ring roused him from his thinking. It was his father at the other end. Apparently Mr. Kazuki had forgotten some documents at home, and as Yuichi did not have class until eleven, he asked his son to bring them to his office.

Yuichi grudgingly complied. It was not just his bad mood. He never felt comfortable at his father´s office. Though he had never openly said it, he detested Japanese company life and vowed _never_ to take up the career of his father. There was no pressure from his parents for him to succeed his father, as they always encouraged him to find his true calling in life. However, as his rebellious older brother Shohei refused a managerial career and found success in architecture, there has been an implicit understanding outside his family that he would inherit his father´s chair. That kind of rumour was particularly strong in his father´s company, and the people there treated him like a crown prince. Thus, Yuichi avoided setting foot in the office. When he absolutely had to like that day, he always tried to finish what he had to do quickly and leave.

One more time, things did not go the way Yuichi wanted. For some reason, his father made him wait full ten minutes at the reception desk. When his eyes were wandering about the room, the contact list caught his attention. There was only one person named ¨Fujii¨ there, and accompanying the names were office and private home phone numbers.

***********

A longer than usual chapter with lots of talk. I hope you guys are not bored. I find it difficult to build up the details without it feeling rushed.

If you´re wondering about Kazuki´s comment on Wataru´s name, the kanji (Chinese characters) for ¨Fujii¨ literally mean ¨well of wisteria¨, and that of ¨Wataru¨ means ¨ford stream¨. Quite poetic, I must say. While I´m already at this, the two kanji for ¨Kazuki¨ means ¨shelf¨ (as in ¨bookshelf¨) and ¨moon¨ respectively, and ¨Yuichi¨ is the combination of ¨prosperous¨ and ¨the one/first¨. ¨Asaka¨ roughly means ¨fleeting fragrance¨, and ¨Masanobu¨ means ¨elegant¨ and ¨open/generous¨. It´s quite clear that the characters´ names are intentional. A friend of mine told me the names´ meaning, and I liked it so much that I couldn´t resist using the information in the story, random as it is.


	8. Doubt

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

My ability could not do justice to the drama of the situation.

**********

--Doubt--

Yuichi could not remember how long he had been walking to-and-fro in his room. On his table were a piece of paper with a string of digits written on it and his cell phone. He had been sitting on fire since the discovery of the phone number of the Fujiis. He could not concentrate on the lectures at prep school and came home immediately after class, ignoring the call of Ninomiya. Words could not describe his excitement. Beyond his expectation, his Cinderella suddenly became so close. Yet every time he reached for his phone, his hand stiffened as if he was about to let loose some upheaval. Whether he was paranoid or his sixth sense was at work, he could not tell. Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, and counting from one to three, he decisively took the phone and dialled the number.

The first round of dialling not even finished, the phone was picked up. His pulse quickening, he followed the full etiquette to avoid any stupid blunder.

¨Hello, could I speak to Miss Fujii Karin please?¨

¨Yes, Karin´s speaking.¨ The voice answered.

Yuichi had to sit down to calm his racing heart. Heaven was merciful to him that day, for his Cinderella herself answered his call. Carefully selecting his words and tone, he said with utmost politeness.

¨Good afternoon, Fujii-san. I am Kazuki Yuichi. Do you still remember me?¨ He could not help but pronounce the ¨Fujii-san¨ a bit more softly as if saying a prayer. It was the name she asked him to call her by.

There was a short silence, then came the answer. ¨Oh, so it´s you, Kazuki-san! How can I help you?¨

There was something contrived in the courteousness with which the girl was talking to him, as if she was on guard. It was no wonder, as she probably still remembered the sudden kiss and was afraid of him. To ensure her, Yuichi used his most gentle yet proper voice.

¨I´d like to talk to you, face-to-face if possible. Do you have any engagement right now?¨ It was half past three in the afternoon, still early enough for them to meet. Yuichi knew he was rushing the business, but he simply needed to see her. He had been playing hide-and-seek longer than it was good for his heart, and the clue he had, the dark-eyed boy her brother, just led him deeper into the mystery. Every time he encountered the boy, unexplainable things occured, and his feelings became so confused that he could not understand them any more. The phone number was a real life-saver for him, as he no longer had to follow the boy around in the maze.

Though the conversation was over the phone, Yuichi could sense hesitation at the other end. He repeated the request, half begging. ¨Please, I _need_ to talk to you. Just ten minute. I will not bother you longer than that.¨

Perhaps his desperation reached the girl, for she complied. ¨OK. Where would you like to meet?¨

¨It´s up to you. Anywhere you find comfortable.¨ Yuichi was willing to compromise anything to get her acquiescence.

They settled for a café that was popular among students and was not far from Ryokuyo. When Yuichi hung up, he realized that his hand was shaking.

***

Sitting at a table near the entrance so that his Cinderella could easily find him, Yuichi rehearsed what he was about to say to her over and over. He could feel how his hands steadily got colder due to nervousness. But having come so far, he´d rather die than retreat. How his heart beat when the familiar slender form showed up at the door! Yet when she actually sat down in front of him, his excitement was put off a little, as if something about her fell short of his expectation. He knew those large dark eyes, those delicate features, those well-formed lips well, yet somehow they were not like what he had dreamed about every night. The voice too was somehow different. Mentally shaking his head to chase away these ridiculous thought, he greeted her cordially.

¨Thank you very much for coming, Fujii-san. And I haven´t thanked you for the date the other day.¨

Fujii replied rather uneasily. ¨Uhm. It was nothing. It was nice for me as well.¨

Attributing the uncomfortable atmosphere to the kiss, Yuichi supposed he should apologize. ¨I´m sorry for my lack of control that day as well. It was really rude of me.¨

The girl knitted her brow a bit as if she did not know what he was talking about. The reaction fleeted by in just a second, but it could not escape Yuichi´s perceptiveness. She shook her head lightly and fiddled with her hair. ¨It was nothing, Kazuki-san. I´ve already forgotten about that.¨

Was she just being polite to him by dismissing the matter so easily? And what was that confused reaction? He was _slapped_ for his impulse that day so he supposed she would not forget it that easily. Realizing that the talk had been sinking into awkwardness, he tried to rescue it by steering to a more pleasant topic.

¨How is your assignment going? I hope you´ve already found a good topic.¨

¨Wh-? Oh the assignment! It´s just fine. Thanks for your concern.¨

That confusion again! The girl´s expression woke up suspicion in him. The art assignment was one of the topics his Cinderella was most enthusiastic about, so there was no way _she_ could have such lukewarm response. It was as if he was talking to another person. Yuichi could not make sense of himself any more. It was the complete opposite when he was with the dark-eyed boy. Even though the boy was just a brother, Yuichi was constantly overwhelmed by the sense of familiarity, because the boy not only had the identical looks but also emanated the exact same charm as his Cinderella. Yet at that moment when he finally met the supposedly right person, all those feelings were lost. He could _tell_ she was a pretty girl, but nothing about her incurred all those chaotic emotions in him. Was it because she was being on guard or uncomfortable?

Perhaps the girl was becoming impatient with the silence. She fidgeted with the straw of her drink by wrapping it around her finger and straightening it again. That gesture stirred his doubt even more. When his Cinderella was eating with him, she played with the straw by folding it until it took on a spiral-like shape. But again, maybe it was his own mind that was tricking him. Yuichi bit his tongue slightly to wake himself. He already achieved the all-important meeting he long awaited. He could not let some paranoia spoil it...

However, the feeling of doubt was so strong that Yuichi could not resist a little testing. Assuming his best acting skills, he said innocently as if merely trying to thaw the ice.

¨The flower exhibition we visited on the date was really nice. I´m glad you recommended it. It was a pity, though, that we did not have enough time to see the lilies.¨ That was, obviously, a lie. He had accompanied his Cinderella through all sections of the exhibition, and she was delighted by the lilies the most...

Somehow he was not so surprised when the girl walked straight into the trap he set. ¨It was a pity indeed, but I still enjoyed the rest of the exhibition!¨ That statement gave the game away. He did not know the reason of this farce, but the girl in front of him was _not_ his Cinderella. Trying not to let his disappointment and impatience influence him, he gazed straight into the girl´s eyes.

¨Excuse me, do you mind if I ask a weird question?¨

Confuse and curiosity painted on the girl´s face, and she nodded.

¨I don´t know why you´re doing this. But you are not the person who went with me on that date, correct?¨

The frozen expression on her face told him he had hit bull´s eyes. Signing to himself, he softly but decisively continued.

¨I have something very important to tell her. I _need_ to meet her. So please, tell me how I can contact her, or just help me send a message to her! Please!¨ He said the request with all sincerity and seriousness, hoping to persuade the girl about the urgency of the matter.

To her credit, the girl regained her balance quickly after being discovered, and immediately on offence.

¨I´m not the person who went with you on the date indeed, but my name is really Fujii Karin. That person... She could _not_ meet you. I´m sorry Kazuki-san, but the issue is not something I can decide. There is nothing I can do.¨

¨Why?¨ Yuichi desperately asked. ¨I don´t mean anything ill. I _do_ need to meet her.¨

It was very seldom that he acted so weak. But at that moment, depression got the better of him. His high expectation for this meeting was cheated, and the girl´s verdict that he could not see his Cinderella again was a bucket of cold water extinguishing all flame of hope. Reality turned grey in a twinkling of an eye to him.

The girl seemed to be caught off-guard by Yuichi´s pleading. She observed him attentively in silence. Probably out of pity, she suddenly said.

¨Kazuki-san, I can pass on your cell-phone number to that person and relay your request. But I can´t promise anything. It´s up to that person whether to contact you or not.¨

The unexpected offer, although entailing much uncertainty, restored all colours of life to Yuichi´s eyes. He nearly jumped because of joy. He stood up and squeezed the girl´s hands, which made people at neighbouring tables turn their heads.

¨Thank you so much! You´re a real life saver.¨

In contrast to Yuichi´s euphoria, the girl´s expression remained mirthless, even troubled for some reason. However, he was so elated to concern himself over that.

***

Once more that day, Yuichi walked restlessly in his room without taking his eyes off the phone for one second. It was eight, nine, then ten. At ten thirty, when he was about to give up, the phone rang. Never before that sound was so blessed to him. Seizing the phone with both of his hands, he hastily brought it to his ear and said without waiting for the person at the other side to speak.

¨Hello, Fujii-san? Thank you very much for calling.¨

There was no answer at the other side, as if the person was thinking about what to said. After a moment of silence that was long as eternity, the caller spoke.

¨Hello, Kazuki-san. This is Fujii Wataru.¨

Perhaps that day was fated for disappointment. Nevertheless, Yuichi kept his cool and waited. As they were nearly strangers, despite already having some contact, the dark-eyed boy probably had a very good reason to call him. Furthermore, Yuichi´s intuition and what he had already seen told him that the kid played an important part in the mystery concerning his Cinderella. The boy hesitantly continued.

¨I heard about what happened this evening. Please don´t blame my sister. It was not her fault.¨

¨Never mind about that. What do you call me for?¨ Yuichi was burned with impatience. He had the premonition that it was not going to end well.

¨Well, about _that_ request of yours, I need to tell you something, but it´s better to talk face-to-face. Could you spare some time tomorrow afternoon, let´say from three thirty onwards? Let´s meet somewhere quiet at Ryokuyo. Probably the clock tower?¨

¨If you say so...¨ The voice of the boy was not promising anything good. Yuichi could sense uncertainty, hesitation, and fear in it. But it also clearly conveyed that the matter had to be resolved. Knowing that the boy´s request had to be granted if he wanted things to get anywhere, Yuichi consented. ¨Then let´s meet at three thirty tomorrow afternoon at our school´s clock tower.¨

¨Thank you very much. Good night.¨

¨Good night¨. And the conversation ended.

Throwing himself on the bed, Yuichi was invaded by numerous questions. Who was his Cinderella after all? Another one of the Fujii´s siblings? But why was that dark-eyed boy the one who called him and requested to meet him the day after? Burying his face in the pillow and reviewing all the events, he was confused by everything from the mystery to his own feelings. Yet one thing was clear. He was serious about his Cinderella and was willing to go to great lengths for her. The story of the ship with the scarlet sails of happiness he heard from the dark-eyed boy came to his mind. What would be the colour of his sails?

***

I hate comparing Wataru and Karin as each person is unique in a way. But that´s unavoidable given the underlying plot.


	9. Cynicism

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

A friend of mine criticized me for overstating human cognitive ability for this story. However, she studies neural science, a respectable science that splits a neuron into two.

This chapter is the part I´m most scared to write.

**********

--Cynicism--

Yuichi got to the clock tower ten minutes earlier than the arranged time, and he was out of breath. He had the feeling that he had been rushing a lot lately. Every time there seemed to be a clue, he would quickly get worked up, only to end up with either puzzle or disappointment. Would this time be different? Yuichi´s instinct told him ¨yes¨. Right from their first encounter, the dark-eyed boy always acted awkwardly around him, as if something had happened between them. If the boy was willing to speak out, then part of the fog of the mystery would clear up, and the way out of the maze would probably be lighted for Yuichi. On the other, the way the Fujii siblings acted about the matter did not promise anything good. Why did the girl have to impersonate his Cinderella, and why was it her brother who talked to him although she said that she would relay his message directly to the person in question? Yuichi breathed in deeply and gathered himself together. For good or ill, most if not all of his questions would be answered that day, and he needed his brain to be at its best for that!

Yuichi was early, yet when he entered the small narrow room, the other party of the appointment was already there, sitting sideways on the frame of the large window and looking far-off into space. The orange-shaded evening light illuminated every detail of his delicate features and his lithe body, which emanated innocence and liveliness even in their resting state. The scene made a sweet picture that would have touched Yuichi´s artistic instinct, had he not been occupied by his problem. Nevertheless, an unconscious shadow of a smile passed on his lips. He paused to observe the boy carefully one more time. As usual, every time he saw this boy, he _felt_ his Cinderella with all his senses. If it was because of the astounding likeness, why did it occur with the boy but not his other sister? Yuichi signed to himself. For one fleeting moment, he had dreamed that his Cinderella was waiting for him in this haven of peacefulness. Shaking his head off the irrelevant thinking, he knocked on the door to gain the boy attention:

¨Hey, is it not enough that you nearly fell the other day? You´re not scared yet?¨ Yuichi could not help but feel amused by the boy´s fondness for that high and dangerous place. Besides, going on offence helped him feel like having control of the situation that was extremely difficult to just understand.

The boy turned to Yuichi´s direction. ¨Kazuki-san...¨ was what the boy greeted him with. Yuichi cringed a bit inside. Heaven! Why did he have to hear that word uttered by someone who was identical to his Cinderella yet was not her in this meeting out of all time?

Thanks to their positions, Yuichi could clearly read all the expressions written on that already open face. At that moment, what he saw was agitation and helplessness. Apparently the boy had been waiting for him, but the childlike face still got visibly paler when he appeared. The kid had the appearance of a sinner who forced himself to the confession booth. To leaven the tension and to chase away bad premonitions, Yuichi remarked with a casual tone.

¨You seem to like sitting by the windows. It was the same when we first met....¨

¨That was not the first time we met.¨ The boy suddenly interrupted, his face changed into determination mode. However, the paleness of the face betrayed that the kid was agonizing inside. It was as if the boy was going to throw himself into an abyss.

¨Excuse me, but I don´t think I get what you mean!¨ Yuichi felt he was entitled to an explanation. The contradiction failed to have sense in anyway. They went to the same school. That much was clear. But to have personal contact before that day, never! He reasoned ¨We might have met some time at school before, but you must forgive my memory, for I don´t remember that.¨

¨No, it was not at school.¨ The boy said definitively. Seeing that Yuichi was bewildered even further, the kid breathed in deeply and explained in the clearest tone. ¨I know this is hard to believe, but I swear I´m telling the truth! It was the weekend before the last one. I was taken to your house and we went together to Central Park.¨ A faint blush passed over the boy´s pale cheek. ¨We did not part on good terms though.¨

¨That was nonsense.¨ Yuichi´s mouth slipped out what he was thinking. Those were the details of his date. How could that boy be there, unless measures such as stalking was used? Yet the boy was speaking as if he _was_ his Cinderella. The whole thing was a mystery before, but at that moment it had become completely incomprehensible.

¨You don´t believe me.¨ The boy mumbled almost sullenly, then raised his voice. ¨Kazuki-san, I´m not lying. It was a date, and I _was_ with you. You called me ¨Karin¨ at first, but I asked you to use my family name...¨

¨But how was it even _possible_?¨ Yuichi interrupted. He felt as if he were in some kind of crazy dream, or the boy was hallucinating, or both. This development was definitely not something he expected. He voiced his thought. ¨You certainly looked like that person, you even have personality like her, but you are a _boy_. You _cannot_ be her.¨ That was the decisive point. Had it not been for the gender, he would have really believed the boy was his Cinderella long ago.

¨Kazuki-san, I´ll repeat this as many times as necessary. I am telling the truth. About what you said, all it took was a dress and some make-up to change a boy into a girl.¨ The boy gazed straight into Yuichi´s eyes. ¨Please don´t interrupt me. I´ll tell you everything.¨ Getting a nod from the opposite party, he continued. ¨Your father asked if my sister Karin could go on a date with you, and she consented. But one day before the date, she got a sprained ankle from sport. Dad didn´t want to disappoint your father, so I was sent instead...¨ The kid diverted his eyes ¨dressed as a girl.¨

¨WHAT!!!¨ Was the kid serious? Was what he was hearing _sane_ in any way? Was that month ¨parents on crack¨ month? Either the business had been slipping brake-free into a deep abyss of pure ridiculousness or he was having a dream, a very nasty dream.

The boy cringed at Yuichi´s reaction. The dark eyes looked at him helplessly, but he was too busy with his shock to notice. The boy stuttered. ¨I-I didn´t mean any harm. I agreed to do so because I thought it was only for one day, and th-then, both you and I would forget.¨ The kid´s voice became broken. ¨I mean, I rarely meet you, and I´m nothing to you.¨

Yuichi looked at the boy attentively as if that was their first encounter. Truth be told, with that kind of features plus that petite body, it was not impossible that the boy could pass for a girl with appropriate clothing and make-up. Now that the whole thing had had enough time to sink into his head, he knew that the boy´s explanation was indeed the bridge that connected everything that he could not make sense of: the handkerchief, the drawings in that notebook, why that boy could know Takako. He also immediately realized why the boy was always flustered around him. It was that the kid had not only deceived him but also been kissed by him. His grey eyes met the dark ones, and he involuntarily blushed. Normally the mere idea that the one he kissed was someone of his own gender would have disgusted him to no end, but perhaps due to the shock over the drastic development of the issue, he was strangely cool about it.

However, a cold and deadly emotion crept into his heart. Most of it was the rage that he had been deceived. He would never want to do that to anyone, and thus, would never accepted such thing being done to him. But there was also something else. It was more like he _wanted_ to be angry. That way, he could forget that all his hopes for finding his Cinderella and his happiness had been brutally crushed all at once. It was difficult to live with his burning longing, incessant puzzles and loss for what to do before, but that seemed sweet compared to the disappointment and emptiness that was threatening to drown him at that moment. All his efforts turned out to be meaningless in a twinkling of the eye. He could not even tell himself that his Cinderella would be his in some distance future. Who could accept that? He coldly asked, his arms folded.

¨So why are you telling me that now? Why not before? You have been tinkering around me long enough. Or rather, why don´t you keep it a secret to the end? Isn´t that more convenient for you?¨

The boy looked like a rabbit being cornered by a pack of hunting dogs. He avoided looking into Yuichi´s eyes, his voice shaking.

¨M-My sister told me you wanted to meet the person who went on the date with you, and that it was _urgent_.¨ The boy looked up again at Yuichi, an indescribable emotion flickering in his eyes. ¨I don´t know what you want to talk about, but as it is so important to you, I deem it is necessary that you know the whole truth.¨ He paused a bit, and added. ¨Besides, I don´t want to deceive you any more. The deception is my responsibility, and I´m sorry for that.¨

The boy´s voice sounded sincere, and he looked miserable enough, as if he was _really_ troubled by the incident. But Yuichi did not care. This was the worst case of hit and run. Was the boy seriously aware of the consequences of his action? Perhaps he caught a wind of it, thanks to the kiss. However, did he _really_ know what kind of hell Yuichi had been through for more than one week? Everything was probably just a mini adventure, a variation of daily routine for the kid. Dressing up as a girl, going on a date, and in the end saying ¨sorry¨. It probably did not matter at all to him that he had messed up royally Yuichi´s heart and life, both with the date and this truth-revealing thing. The prince fell in love and everything turned out to be a joke. What a nice theme for a comedy!

Yuichi really laughed out loud. The boy fearfully asked.

¨What´s wrong, Kazuki-san?¨

¨Was the date fun for you, _Fujii-san_?¨ Yuichi replied cynically. He needed something to release these emotions, or he would really go crazy.

The boy looked even more distressed, but Yuichi ignored that. He stepped slowly forward, and the boy retreated until the wall was reached. He moved his fingers to touch the boy´s chin and turned it upward. In one long moment, he gazed at that face and those large eyes. He had been dreaming every day about them since that absurd date. They were right in front of him, but would never belong to him. His feelings were meaningless because they could never be reciprocated. Those things repeated over and over in his head like a vicious spell, which made Yuichi feel like being downright cruel at that moment. He smirked.

¨I see it now. You are cute. And you looked nice in girl´s clothes. Do you mind dressing like that to be my girlfriend?¨ He paused to prepare the final shot. ¨Who knows, I may even kiss you...¨

A short, dry sound resonated over the room, and Yuichi´s cheek became red. The dark eyes burned with anger and the boy shouted with full hostility.

¨Don´t worry! I´ll never see you again!¨ With that the kid stormed out of the room.

Left alone in the clock tower, Yuichi leaned on the wall and slid down. He closed his eyes, trying to tell himself not to be depressed. It was just a farce. That boy was not meant to be his Cinderella in the first place, and would never be. There was nothing he could do, and miracles were miracles because they never happened. So was the ending of his story. Unwilling to meet anyone, he stood up and left for home.

***

If I were in Kazuki´s position, my reactions would be even worse. Yes, I´m a mean person. But that´s why I´m interested in the whole situation in the first place.


	10. Resolution

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

**********

--Resolution--

After a difficult evening trying to conceal from his parents the cause of his pale face and lack of spirit, which he attributed to a sudden cold, Yuichi was finally able to retreat to his room. He threw himself on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Now that he had had time to consider the whole thing, the meeting with the dark-eyed boy was exactly what he had been looking forward to the previous week. He met the person who was with him in the date again, and had answers to all the puzzles. But the _substance_ of the story was not exactly what he had expected.

Nevertheless, he was surprised that part of him was not surprised by this turn of event. Perhaps all this time his instinct had been trying to tell him that the boy was the one he was looking for. He had been comfortable and cheerful when interacting with the kid just like the time of the date. He had unconsciously found in the kid everything he liked about his Cinderella, but he attributed everything to the likeness in looks. Besides, there had been signs pointing to this revelation like the handkerchief, the drawings, and Takako. But honestly, who would expect, or rather wanted to expect that his crush was just a boy in girl´s dress for some absurd reasons.

Depression came over him again. He had calmed down, and he began to regret his behaviour. His mind involuntarily recalled how afraid and uncomfortable the boy was at the beginning of the date. It was really not easy for the kid. The forced kiss too was not a pleasant experience. Despite his mood, Yuichi smiled a bit at the memory of how the boy so stubbornly insisted on consent from both parties for relationship matters, including a kiss. Well, it was certain that the boy would never want to have anything to do with him again, given that kind of personality.

Yuichi covered his face with his hand. Suddenly things became so empty for him. The week before he was moving around in the dark, but he still had something to strive for and to look forward to. What would he do now? Pursuing the boy´s sister as a kind of revenge? After all, she was the one who was supposed to be his date. That kind of face suited his taste, and she was interesting in her own rights. But their meeting the day before made it clear to him that he would never be able to be crazy over her the way he was for the ¨Cinderella¨.

That date surely was cursed! At that moment, Yuichi resented himself for not opposing the nonsense his father arranged to the end. In truth, he resented everything. He could have any girl he wanted, but the one person who had stolen his heart was unattainable. For one moment, he did consider seriously going for the boy, but then he laughed at himself. His brain must have become a mess. Having that _boy_ as his partner? Did he seriously want that, or was it just a result of his fey mood which was like that of a spoilt child? After all, the reason for him to fall for the boy in the first place was that he believed the kid was a girl. He smiled bitterly. The boy would not find it funny and would probably hit him again.

Yuichi curled up and closed his eyes, yearning for the forgetfulness of sleep. He was tired and did not want to think any more.

***

Yuichi was more resilient than he thought, for he could start the next day relatively normal. He calmly sat in class listening to the tedious lectures as if nothing had happened. Nevertheless, an unpleasant sensation invaded him when the president reminded him of his promise to help with the preparation for the exhibition. Going to Ryokuyo meant he would have to meet the dark-eyed boy again, and he was unprepared. He did not want to be reminded of the situation he was in at any cost. But his stubborn pride protested the idea of running away. He had to show that boy that he was not at all affected by the business!

He discovered that if he did not set foot to the art club´s area, he would not meet that boy. Nevertheless he seemed to always have reasons to go there. At every encounter, both of them would act as if the other were invisible. When the situation forced them to speak, it was always concise and formal phrasing. They had reached an implicit mutual understanding to avoid any further confrontation. They probably would never get involved with each other ever again.

However, Yuichi would turn to look at the boy when he was sure that he was not seen. In addition, he often found himself standing in a hidden corner to watch the art club at work, his eyes searching for that one face. To make the matter worse, he did not have the heart to return the kid´s handkerchief. He felt that once he gave it back, the affair would be truly over. Whether he wanted that or not, he honestly did not know. Yuichi by no means liked to hurt himself, but if there was one thing he got out of the whole situation besides the heartbreak, it was that feelings were extremely difficult to let go. He honestly fell head over heels in love, and even when he repeatedly told himself that the situation was hopeless, somewhere in his heart still entertained the hope for a miracle. Besides, like Takako said, perhaps that boy was really a sorcerer, for there was something about him that never failed to charm Yuichi. His heart always skipped a beat when the kid laughed about something together with his friends, and he could have stand there watching the kid working for hours to the point of forgetting time and place, had someone not called him for one or another task. It was again a deadlock, and Yuichi knew that the way out would not come in a foreseeable future.

***

A few days before the exhibition, a large cargo arrived at Ryokuyo. It contained frames, screen, hanger, in short everything to show art-pieces off. There were also some proper tables and chairs for the distinguished guests, as those in the school were more or less sabotaged. That was again heavy work, so everyone gave a hand. Meeting the boy was almost unavoidable, but thanks to the task, they did not have to interact much with each other. That sat well with Yuichi, who had resolved to force himself to truly move on after the exhibition thing finished. He would give the handkerchief back, maybe apologize for his remarks the other day, and there would be nothing left between them. If it dragged any longer, he might end up doing a lousy job for the university entrance exam and all his preparation would come to naught. With that resolution Yuicki threw himself to the task in order to help the exhibition to come to a quick end.

When the heavy load was taken off the truck and was piled up on the school yard, they took a short break. The big group quickly disbanded and rushed for refreshments, while jokes and laughters were heard all over the place. Yuichi was in a difficult position where he had to look for a way to avoid both the boy and the advances of some girls. For some reason, the root cause of his troubles remained near the high pile looking curiously at something on the sky. Perhaps to get a better view, he stepped back closer and closer the pile. Yuichi could not well ignore the situation. Why did the kid have such a lack of awareness for danger? He was considering telling the kid off when a loud sound was heard. Apparently the kid did not look behind him and fell into that big load of frames, chairs, and other heavy wood works, which immediately threatened to punish such carelessness.

Without thinking and hesitation, Yuichi rushed forward to rescue the boy. He was nearly too late because something was already falling down. He just had enough time to pull the petite body into his arms and cover it with that of his own. Hell was raging around him and he received several hits, but he did not give it a damn. At that particular moment, he just felt the warmth of the boy mingling with his, and the relief that the kid would be safe. That was the last thoughts before his head was struck and he lost consciousness.

***

Yuichi honestly did not want to wake up as he was feeling so pleasant. Of course his head and body protested with every movement, but he was lying on a soft and comfortable bed. In addition, though his mind was in such a thick haze that he could hardly think coherently, he could tell a warm hand was holding his. It should be nice to enjoy that just a little bit longer. But he already stirred, so he might as well let whoever looking after him know that his consciousness had returned. Yuichi signed lightly and slowly opened his eyes.

Yuichi did not expect that he would be greeted with the pair of large dark eyes that he liked so much. At that time, they were so soft and a bit moist, but Yuichi could also see joy shining in them. Those eyes were so beautiful, and all he wished was to be drown in them forever. The boy´s fine lips trembled a little, as if he was about to say something. But he suddenly blushed, dropped the hand he was holding, and turned away. The luxury he was enjoying spoilt, Yuichi wanted to sit up to catch that small hand and draw that sweet face toward his. Screw all reasoning and precaution! He was the patient _and_ the hero here, and he deserved some privileges, namely to be provided with what he wanted. And what he wanted was to have that boy beside him, preferably in his arms. He did not care much about possibility or consequences. That was his demand, loud and clear.

For good or ill, Yuichi´s intention did not come to pass due to the school nurse, who chose to return right at that moment. After having a quick look at Yuichi to evaluate his state, she turned to the boy and threw a volley of rebuke at the kid.

¨You sneaked in again? How many time do I have to tell you not to do so? Don´t you see he needs to rest?¨

The boy just hung his head like a child caught in a bad act. For the kid´s sake and also for his personal benefits, Yuichi intervened.

¨Excuse me. He doesn´t mean anything bad and he doesn´t disturb me.¨

The nurse shot him a sharp look that made it clear that she was not joking.

¨He may not. But if he is allowed to be here, then all those girls will want to get in too. This is an infirmary, not a circus. Now be good and take a rest. And you.¨ She turned to the kid. ¨if you want to do something good for him, stay outside. I know you´re worried but that´s the best for him.¨

Wrong! What was best for Yuichi would be the boy staying and taking care of him. But he knew enough not to argue with the scary school nurse. He nodded to the boy to express his appreciation for the concern and to signal that he would be fine. Was it his imagination or the boy seemed to be hesitant to leave? But he could not ascertain that, because the boy was shooed away. Yuichi signed and curled up in the blanket. This was again an unexpected development, and Yuichi´s plan was one more time shaken to the core.

He originally intended to sink the matter slowly but surely. Reminding himself that the kid was dressing as a girl in the date, he insisted on believing that his feelings were illusionary. He deliberately ignored the desire that invaded his veins whenever he saw the boy, and tried to gloss over his traitorous actions such as watching the kid and keeping the handkerchief. But the accident opened his eyes about the nature of the matter. Whenever his manipulative mind did not come in the way, he acted how he honestly felt. He truly fell for the boy, before and after he knew the truth about the date. After all, when he was still in the dark, he already sensed that the boy was special. He was certainly discouraged by the fact the kid was of the same gender as he, but that was rather because the near zero probability that his feelings were reciprocated. However, something about the kid´s behaviour just then told him that it was _not_ hopeless. Like the nurse said, the kid sneaked in repeatedly to be beside him. Yuichi looked at his hand, recalling the warmth of the small hand that was holding it. Clearly with such actions, it couldn´t be the boy truly hated him. Quite the contrary. The question was, whether he would act on this intuition or not.

Yuichi closed his eyes. What if he angered the boy by his confession? He did not like the idea of being hit again. But the prospect of happiness was so tempting! In one way or another, that boy _was_ his Cinderella. Finding the right person and confessing his feelings. Wasn´t it what he had been desiring? And he had been so far. Hesitation and indecision be damned! He would not be a Kazuki if he ran away from the challenge. Now that he was finally clear about what he wanted, all was left was the battle. After all, miracles could be wrought by one´s own hands. The ship had scarlet sails because its captain wanted to pursue his happiness. With such thoughts, he sank back to sleep with a confident smile on his lips.


	11. Hope

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

Having had some time to read my own writing _carefully_ one more time, I agree with the criticisms that the ending was too rushed. This is a poor excuse but my priority was really speed over quality. There was a deadline I set for myself because I was afraid that I would never be able to finish it. I have very limited patience, and I was over-paranoid about my first research project, so I did not think further over my first idea. Instead I chose to type everything in my head down and upload it without even reading it the second time (yes, I´m that kind of irresponsible writer). Now I kind of regret it. Seeing that I still have some time left, I have decided to revise the ending by setting it to a more relaxed and hopefully more logical course of events. Truth be told, I need to be occupied with something before I kill myself with my paranoid. I can´t sit still thought I´m supposed to be in break. I apologize for this messy style of working.

What I have done is cut down on chapter 10 to the point Kazuki fell asleep again in the infirmary room and rewrite the ending into the current chapter 11.

**********

--Hope--

When Yuichi woke up again, it was already late as the sun was half hidden after the horizon. The rest totally restored strength in his body and sharpness in his mind. But the choice he made still stood. He was determined to put his luck to test by making clear to the boy what he felt. The rest was Heaven´s will. But at least in the future, he could look back and say to himself that he had gave it his best shot. However, given the lateness, all actions probably had to wait for the day after. Yuichi signed. Despite his appearance, his patience was not in surplus, especially when he had made his decision.

When he was coming down the stairs, his eyes caught a slender figure sitting on the handrail. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest because of joy. It seemed that all his wishes were about to come true. But that hope was quickly extinguished when all he got was a ¨thank you¨. The boy hurriedly left as soon as the message was delivered. In a fit of desperation, Yuichi caught the kid´s hand but quickly released at the stare he received. It was discouraging. Was his judgment influenced by his wish and he misinterpreted the boy´s emotions?

It was easier said than done. The road to happiness was indeed long and stony. Was he expecting too much and overestimating what he could do? It seemed that the business ran in circle. He started with deadlock, then all the puzzles were answered, and now he was in a deadlock again. Added to the difficulty was the drastic development. Yuichi was already able to accept that boy as his lover, but he had no ready strategy to win the boy over. Perhaps things could not be rushed. It took time for the boy to accept him and his feelings. Though it did not go as he wished, Yuichi felt unusually excited. Never before had he faced such a great challenge, and he determined not to look back. The only course of action for him was ¨forward¨.

***

The day of the exhibition came, and Ryokuyo was bustling with guests. Considered the best student representative of the school, Yuichi was enlisted for the reception. It was one of the most taxing experiences he had undergone in his life. He had to deal with ostentatious adults and girls not only from his own school but also from virtually all of Tokyo. Most of them were reasonable and even likeable, but the rest were simply horrid. They were pretentious with the obvious intention of wooing him. Even if his heart had not already been occupied, he would not spare any attention to them. On the contrary, he was dying to let them taste his trademark sarcasm. However, his position as a representative for the host school did not allow him to indulge himself with that. His annoyance found the outlet in making fun of himself, when he suddenly remembered his behaviour to the dark-eyed boy the other day. It was indeed a bitter comedy. Why was it that the only person he was truly cruel to happened to be the one he loved? What he was suffering was perhaps his payment.

Nevertheless, like the dark-eyed boy said, the exhibition was an interesting event. Yuichi was not an expert, but he could tell the quality of the artworks were high. Within the limited time he could manage to sneak off his task, he tried to seek for the boy´s painting but found none. He did not even see much of the boy himself. It was puzzling considering how the boy was so enthusiastically looking forward to this. But he was too busy with the guests to ponder on that.

***

Words could not describe how relieved Yuichi was when lunch break arrived. His nerves were too strained that they would snap any moment. Practically forcing Ninomiya to replace him, he dashed off despite all the president´s protests. He headed straight for the clock tower, where he knew he would not be disturbed. When he reached the place, how wide his eyes were when he saw that the place was already occupied by none other than the dark-eyed boy. The kid was sitting at his habitual place on the window frame and dreamily looking into the sky. It was the third time he saw this scene but the image had already burnt into his mind. Why was he not an artist? This would make a beautiful painting! Thankfully there was technology. He took out his cell phone and took a shot. The picture was nearly perfect and he would probably be staring at it all day.

He could have standing there watching forever, but the boy already detected his presence, and was completely taken aback by his appearance, but luckily not to the point of falling off. He hurriedly got off the frame and was about to leave, but Yuichi reacted fast enough.

¨Please don´t leave because of me. If I annoy you, then I´ll leave!¨ He paused, and continued almost shyly. ¨The truth is, there is something I wish to say to you.¨

He was sincere, even a little desperate. After his repeated blunder, he was eager to amend his standing in the kid´s eyes. Perhaps that was shown in his voice, for the large dark eyes were filled with surprise. The boy was visibly hesitant as if he did not know how to react. In the end, the boy opted to stay. He sat down on a trunk, and gazed into Yuichi´s grey eyes.

¨What do you want to talk to me about?¨ The kid asked. There was no hostility in his voice, but no warmth in it either.

¨I haven´t had a chance to apologize for my behaviour the other day.¨ Yuichi solemnly replied. ¨I tried to do that when you came to talk to me after the accident but you left before I could say anything.¨ Realizing that he was accusing the kid, he hurriedly amended. ¨I mean I was really cruel, and I´m sorry for that.¨

The boy lightly shook his head and smiled reservedly. ¨The fault was mine. I can understand you. If I were deceived like that, I would have been angry too.¨ It could be easily seen that the boy was sincere, and Yuichi was relieved that the boy did not hold a grudge against him. The kid was indeed as gentle as an angel. But he did not particularly like that self-blaming speech. He interrupted.

¨But I was out of line. It must have been hard for you to be forced into such an act. And I ridiculed you about that. It wasn´t fair to do so and I do regret it.¨ He hesitated but decided to rectify every crooked thing between them. ¨I should apologize about the kiss in the park too. You don´t like being forced, do you?¨ He smiled gently at the person opposite him, remembering how the kid enthusiastically argued against him about mutual consent.

¨No.¨ A faint blush coloured the boy´s cheeks. He looked so sweet that Yuichi wanted to hug him tightly. Fortunately he resisted the temptation. The atmosphere had relaxed a bit and he did not want to mess up their fragile connection one more time.

However, Yuichi did not intend to stop with that. He was given another chance and this time, he would properly use it. He carefully opened an attack. ¨But I was serious about that kiss. I mean I truly like Fujii-san who was on that date with me, and I was anxious to win over that person.¨

The boy looked down ruefully. ¨I´m sorry. I did not know it would go that far. I´m sorry that I hurt you.¨

¨No,¨ Yuichi hastily broke in. That was not the effect he wanted. ¨I don´t mean to blame you. What I want to say is that it is important for me that you understand why I acted so. I don´t want you to have ill opinion about me because of either that kiss or my remarks the other day.¨ He took a breath and said the final word. ¨I want to be on good terms with you.¨ That was a heavily watered-down version of what he really wanted to tell the boy. But at that moment, it was more important to thaw the ice between them than to throw a volley of ¨I love you¨ at the boy, which might freak the kid out.

A soft smile bloomed on the boy´s rose-like lips. He remarked ¨You are a very nice person, Kazuki-san.¨

Until then, Yuichi had heard many compliments, but none of them could make his heart swell like those simple words. Beyond his expectation, everything had been in his favour so far. While he was still thinking of the next move, the boy changed the topic.

´How do you like the exhibition so far?¨

¨I don´t like having to _work_ for it. I don´t know if it´s only me, but there are really pretentious people.¨ Imitating some ostentatious gestures of the distinguished guests, Yuichi said mischievously, and both of them laughed. Only that dark-eyed boy could manage to bring out that more childish side of him. Then he continued more seriously. ¨But the artworks are nice! I really like them.¨ Seeing that the boy was smiling, Yuichi innocently asked. ¨Where is your painting? I´d like to see it.¨

The smile on the boy´s lips died down a little, which made Yuichi afraid that he had stepped on a landmine. Probably sensing Yuichi´s thought, the kid smiled again and lightly shook his head.

¨I did not submit one. I could not think of something worthy to paint, so I decided not to force myself.¨

¨I´m sorry...¨ This bit of information worried Yuichi. Was he the cause of that artistic slump?

¨Well, it´s already fine. Such thing happens.¨ The boy dismissed Yuichi´s feeling of guilt.

¨But the exhibition was important for you, wasn´t it? Please be honest!¨ Yuichi gazed straight into the boy´s eyes. He was trying not to freak out at the possibility that he was the spoiler of the boy´s important event.

The boy did not respond. Seeing the clear signal that the topic was off-limit, Yuichi did not press it further. Instead he chose to change the topic.

¨You seemed to have stolen my niece Takako´s heart.¨ He said teasingly. _And mine_, he added inwardly. The boy was completely perplexed, the expression of which was priceless. With a more serious tone, he elaborated. ¨After meeting you in the park, she had been asking me non-stop about ¨oni-chan¨. How about you coming by some time to play with her? She would be happy. I´m sure my parents and her parents would like that too.¨ The invitation was indeed for Takako´s sake, but there was other motive at work.

¨You are making fun of me again!¨ The boy said sullenly, which made Yuichi laughed. ¨See? You´re laughing.¨

¨You´re refusing to help a little princess in need?¨ Now that tensions had been more or less resolved, Yuichi felt it safe enough to indulge himself in his favourite pastimes.

¨I will help her. But I also think that unfortunately, her uncle is a jerk!¨ The boy rose up to the challenge. He was trying to sound high-and-mighty, but that just showed his childishness off, which delighted Yuichi to no end.

Thus they bantered until the end of the break.

***

The meeting at the clock tower was a significant improvement for Yuichi. In the next two days of the exhibition, the boy nodded and smiled to him whenever they met. They also often talked in break time, in which the kid explained and commented for him about the art pieces. It seemed the problems between them had been completely sorted out, and he must admit that the kid himself was a big help, for he was totally cooperative, even eager to straighten their relationship.

He was torn by this development. Part of him was glad that they could be on cordial terms, the other part was unsatisfied and craved for more intimacy. In addition, now that he had gained something, he was afraid to jeopardize it. How should he proceed? Continue to play the friendship game or declare his feelings? The latter was the more honest thing to do, but that meant gambling on the newly amended relation between him and the boy. On the other hand, a mere ¨friendship¨ was not his goal in the first place. When the exhibition was over, it would be more difficult to find reasons to meet the boy. So he did not have time for indecision.

In his room, Yuichi took out the handkerchief with his love´s initials, which was ever in his pocket. He intentionally ¨forgot¨ to return it. It had helped him find the person he wanted to meet. Would it help him again to win that person over?


	12. Contentment

**Disclaimer**: "Only the Ring Finger Knows" and all its related elements belong to Satoru Kannagi-sensei. The original concept for this story is NOT mine either. It is Kasumi Hayashibara-san's concept for the "Empty White Canvas" story (see her author's note on the last chapter of "The Untouched Ring"), and hence, it naturally belongs to her. She has generously granted me permission to use her idea to write this story. However, it does NOT mean that she will drop "Empty White Canvas". She will definitely return to it after she finishes "Endless Summer", the sequel to "The Untouched Ring". Therefore, this story should not be confused with Kasumi-san's story and vice versa.

************

--Contentment--

The exhibition was over like a twinkling of an eye, but there was work to do even after that, namely to clean up. This time, knowing the boy´s tendency to attract danger, he discreetly kept his eyes on the kid all the time to prevent an accident similar to the previous one. Yet when everything finished, the kid somehow managed to vanish from his supervision range. Yuichi signed to himself. The boy was worse than Takako. Then he laughed at himself. What was he doing? The boy was not a child who needed constant chaperon. It was more like he was seeking the boy out. The feelings had truly messed him up. But he did not regret it. Within the month he encountered the boy, he had lived more intensely than his whole eighteen years. His life had suddenly been full of colours and emotions. It was difficult, but also fulfilling in a way.

Yuichi wandered to the backyard for some fresh air and to avoid some presumptuous girls. He found his lost lamb and the scene nearly freaked him out. The boy was again trying to climb on a tree, probably in an attempt to observe some bird´s nest. Yuichi held his breath. He knew better than to call out, which could startle the boy and make him fall down. Yuichi carefully moved closer to the tree, bracing himself for an accident. It seemed that his fear was unfounded, as the boy proved himself to be quite skilful in tree-climbing. Lowering his alertness a little bit, he stepped back to watch the scene. The boy was one of the liveliest creature he had ever known, and he enjoyed that.

Yet when something might go wrong, it went wrong. When the boy nearly reached the ground, he missed his footing and fell down. Fortunately Yuichi could intervene in time. Feeling slightly dizzy because of the warmth emanated from the feather-light body, he did not want to let go, yet knew enough to release the kid, who immediate flushed to the deepest of red and stammered.

¨Th-Thank you.¨

¨You scared me to death!¨ Yuichi said breathlessly. Once again he nearly lost his self-control. All his emotions: worry, relief, and a little anger were contained in that sentence. The boy looked at him in wonder and became flustered.

¨I-I´m sorry. It seems that you have to rescue me all the time. I´m sorry. Are you hurt somewhere?¨

Yuichi gently put one of his long fingers on the boy´s lips, effectively interrupting the speech. Having had the kid one more time in his arms, he could not contain his feelings any longer. The large dark eyes looked at him questioningly. Inwardly taking a deep breath. Yuichi brought both of the boy´s hands to his lips, sending everything he wanted to say in that long kiss. The small hands still tightly held by Yuichi, the dark eyes widened and full lips trembled, but the slender body went frigid, as if it did not know how to react. The boy gazed long and hard into the grey eyes as if trying to discern a lie or a joke. Yuichi looked back affectionately and slightly nodded with a soft sincere smile on his lips. He might look perfectly calm but inside his heart was beating anxiously in waiting for the final verdict.

The boy seemed to understand what was being communicated, for he blushed deeply, took his hands back and ran away, leaving the confessor alone in the backyard. Yuichi signed. The kid was indeed a Cinderella! The result was disappointing, but hope stubbornly refused to leave. It could be seen that the boy was more bashful than angry. In truth, Yuichi had half expected another slap, but that did not happened. There was no outright rejection either. On the other hand, it was not completely clear that he would be accepted. Yuichi forlornly looked at the direction his love went away. What needed to be done was done. All he could do now was to wait and pray that the boy would not only sympathize with his feelings but also reciprocate them.

***

Yuichi had to endure one more week being fried in the hellish flame of impatience and helplessness. There had been no response from the dark-eyed boy. Now that the exhibition was over, there was no reason to expect the boy to be at school. Calling the Fujii household was too risky as something might reach his father, and he did not have the kid´s cell phone number. The ambivalence of the situation was killing him. When he was fretting over his problem, his cell phone rang.

¨Hello, Kazuki´s speaking!¨

¨Hello, Kazuki-san. This is Fujii Karin.¨

Yuichi´s eyes widened in surprise. That was the last person he expected. Could it be something about her brother? Filled with hope, dread, and also curiosity, he hastily asked.

¨What do you need from me, Karin-san?¨

¨Well, could you do me a favour?.¨ The speech made Yuichi hold his breath. He could detect some plotting going on at the other end. ¨Tomorrow is my brother´s and my birthday. You know, we are twins. As our parents are busy, we often celebrate by ourselves. The problem is this year, a friend of mine from Osaka visits Tokyo, and I want to show her around. But it´s inconvenient to drag my brother along.¨

¨Get it! What can I do for you?¨ Yuichi´s whole body was in suspense, he could already guess the request. This unlooked-for help was too good to be true.

¨Well, our tradition is to go on a ¨date¨. Could you replace me? Please come by our house at 10:30 sharp, for I have to leave then. In case you don´t know our address, I already texted it. Are you willing to do it?¨

¨You bet I am! Thank you so much, Karin-san!¨

¨It´s nothing. A certain person is in a slump lately and I want to cheer that person up. See you on Saturday!¨. They broke out laughing and hung up.

Yuichi had to pinch himself to make sure that he was not dreaming. Excitement filled his body. Blessed be all kind sisters in the world! He made a mental note to get Karin the best present he could afford. The road was opened, and it was up to him to do the rest.

***

Yuichi showed up punctually at the Fujii household, dressed casually but with special care. It was the birthday of the person he was pursuing after all. He did consider bringing flowers but decided to leave it for later. He rang the door bell, and Karin appeared. With a mischievous smile on her face, she signalled him to be silent and led him inside the house. Another voice, obviously belonged to the dark-eyed boy, asked.

¨Who´s it, Karin?¨

¨Wataru-chan, I forgot to tell you that I can´t celebrate our birthday with you today. But I´ve found a substitute. Hope he´s good enough for you!¨

¨_He_?¨ The boy curiously asked. There was sound of walking, and the boy, already dressed to go outside, appeared. Yuichi´s heart raced. A bride on the first visit to her in-laws could not be more nervous than him.

His already large dark eyes even larger in surprise, the boy stuttered.

¨Wh-What is this, Karin?¨

¨I can´t be with you today so I´m sorry about that. But Kazuki-san is kind enough to help out. Have fun!¨ The girl smiled half teasing, half encouraging to her brother, opened the door and quickly vanished.

Yuichi was more or less prepared for the situation, but he was still awkward. When he was trying to find the suitable words, the boy fell down on the sofa.

¨That girl is _impossible_!¨

¨Please don´t blame her. Consider it my fault. Now be honest! Don´t you want me to be with you?¨ Yuichi gazed straight into the boy´s pretty eyes. There was a mixture of dread and anticipation in those words. Whether he would be in heaven or hell depended on this one answer.

The boy blushed deeply but did not reply. Instead he diverted his eyes. Yuichi knelt down beside him one the sofa. Once again, he brought the small hands to his lips, confirming the sincerity of his feelings. The boy turned his head to Yuichi and their eyes met. A moment long as eternity passed by.

Beyond his expectation, the boy threw himself forward and hugged him tightly like a lost child finding back his family. His face buried in Yuichi´s chest, he murmured.

¨If this turns out to be another joke, I´ll hit you!¨

Triumphant joy filled his whole being, Yuichi returned the embrace, enjoying the moment he had been waiting for so long. He ran his hand through the silky dark hair, and affectionately whispered into his love´s ear.

¨Do I look like that kind of fool? You already hit me twice! I´m not so dumb as to learn nothing¨ He parted from the boy to adore his newly-found love to his heart´s content. ¨Happy birthday! What do you like as a present? I´ll do anything!¨

The boy laughed embarrassedly under Yuichi´s loving gaze. He muttered sweetly.

¨Do you have any idea where we should go for the date today?¨

¨Your wish is my command, Fujii-san! Wait, that name was for that ¨girl¨. What should I call _you_?¨ He asked the boy teasingly.

¨What´s wrong with ¨Fujii-san¨?¨

¨You want me to see you as a girl?¨ The comment immediately provoked a scowl, but Yuichi smiled half defiantly, half reconciliatory. ¨How is it with Wataru?¨ It was partly to tease the boy, but he was also serious. With that name he felt he could finally identify his love. He had had enough confusion to last for a lifetime.

As predicted, Wataru was completely flustered on hearing his given name from Yuichi´s mouth, which just served to delight the latter. He tenderly lifted the boy´s face and gazed into those captivating dark eyes. He brought his lips closer to the tempting rose-like lips. The boy closed his eyes, but Yuichi chose that moment to stop. He whispered into his love´s ear

¨I know you don´t like me forcing you. So it depends on you.¨

¨What do you mean?¨ The dark-eyed boy was baffled.

¨I will be waiting. So kiss me if you really want to.¨ Yuichi smiled quizzically. He kept his face seductively close to the boy´s.

Wataru blushed and scowled, but still closed his eyes and leaned forward. That response was all Yuichi was waiting for. He pulled the boy close and passionately kissed the sweet lips he so desired. It had come full circle. The prince had found his Cinderella, and all was good and well.

HOPEFULLY IT´S _REALLY_ THE END.

***

*Wave white flag* Once again, I´m sorry for the mess. And thank you for reviewing and criticizing me. I´m particularly grateful for Kasumi Hayashibara-san for allowing me to use (and mess with) her idea.


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